Green group wants ‘incompetent’ Ongkili to resign

Federal Minister Maximus Ongkili has drawn flak over his declaration that the waste water from Lynas plant is 'safe' to be discharged into drains.

KOTA KINABALU: A grassroots group wants “incompetent” Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Maximus Ongkili to resign for his handling of the Lynas issue.

Himpunan Hijau said that Ongkili must step down for declaring that waste water is safe to discharge into drains.

“The statement shows his incompetency… he is unqualified to hold the position of Science, Technology and Innovation Minister,” its chairman Wong Tack said in a statement.

Himpunan Hijau is protesting the approval for Australian miner Lynas Corp to operate a rare earths
processing plant in Kuantan.

Ongkili’s statement that the waste water produced by the plant is safe comes after some 5,000 people wearing green T-shirts and chanting slogans gathered in Kuantan last week alleging the plant could leach radioactive waste into the environment.

Wong said it was morally wrong for Ongkili to declare the waste produced at the plant safe when another rare earth plant was shut down in 1992.

However, Lynas has said its plant cannot be compared to the plant operated by a unit of Mitsubishi Chemicals in Bukit Merah, Perak, after residents there blamed the plant for birth defects and a high number of leukaemia cases.

“At this critical juncture, when our country is being invaded by an oppressive foreign corporation, when the country’s sovereignty has been seriously challenged and the people have raised their grave concerns, Ongkili’s statement is totally irresponsible,” Wong said.

“We suggest that since he is unqualified to be a federal minister, he should return to Kota Marudu and help the poverty-stricken people there,” he said. Ongkili is the MP for Marudu.

Wong also criticised Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai for suggesting that the waste materials produced by the plant be shipped back to Australia.

It (statement) was “intentionally made to deceive the people and drag this issue until after the general election,” he said.

“We wish to make one thing clear to him and the government: We want a conclusive decision to be made before the general election – to cancel and terminate the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant,” he said.

Explain transfer of waste 
Wong also asked Liow to explain in detail how the waste was going to be safely packaged, stored and transported.

“What kind of vehicles are going to be used? Where is the route and how far is it from residential areas?

“What are the safety measures in place to protect the workers or handlers of the waste materials? What are the contingency plans in place in case of accidents?

“Which port in Kuantan is going to used? Is a new isolated jetty going to be built to avoid contamination of the import and export of our food products?

“Based on humanitarian grounds, we are also concerned about the safety of the Australian people.

“We want to know which port in Australia is going to be used to unload the radioactive waste and what are the safety measures in place to protect the people there,” he said.

He added all these details must be made known “so that we know it is not a pre-election gimmick to deceive the public”.