DPM: Yeo and Redzuan having 'healthy debate' on Lynas

Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said both Yeo Bee Yin and Mohd Redzuan Yusof have jurisdiction over matters involving Australian rare earth mining firm Lynas, and that the two ministers are having a "healthy debate".

This was amid calls for Redzuan, who is entrepreneur development minister, not to comment on issues involving Lynas.

Redzuan had previously disputed Yeo's decision, as the energy, science, technology, environment and climate change minister, that the company must remove its radioactive Water Leach Purification (WLP) waste from the country.

The waste is being generated at Lynas’ rare earth processing plant in Gebeng, Kuantan.

Wan Azizah said Redzuan was looking at the investment aspect of Lynas, while Yeo was handling the environment and waste management aspect of the company.

"In considering Lynas, we want investment and economic empowerment, while on the other side, we look at the pollution.

"We had set the need for Lynas to manage its waste as a condition when it entered our country.

"So the ministers are having a healthy debate to figure out the best approach for our country," she told journalists at the Parliament lobby today.

However, contrary to Redzuan's claim, Wan Azizah reiterated that the cabinet had not made a decision on whether Lynas could continue its local operations.

"Not yet. The prime minister said it will be decided at the cabinet level soon after all issues are discussed and scrutinised," she said.

Last Saturday, Redzuan claimed the government had decided that Lynas could continue to operate its Kuantan plant, stressing the importance of foreign direct investment.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Fuziah Salleh, who is also Kuantan MP, subsequently asked Redzuan to stop commenting on the issue, stating that he had no locus standi.

Bentong MP Wong Tack, who led protests against Lynas, has also made similar calls. - Mkini