Follow experts' views and stop criticising Lynas, says minister

Entrepreneur Development Minister Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof (photo, above) advised those who protest against Lynas' rare earth processing plant in Pahang to follow experts' views and stop producing negative narrative on Lynas. 

Concurring with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Redzuan said the government has renewed the licence for Lynas after looking at the facts, information, and listening to the experts, to ensure that the operation is safe to the people and the environment.

"The experts don't think the operation compromises our safety and environment. 

"Do we see accidents (in regards to Lynas) happen today? We always monitor to ensure best practices. 

"Look, people build nuclear plants, they follow best practices. We treat crude oil which also produces radioactive substance but we have best practices," he said at a media conference to announce the 2019 National Entrepreneur Week in Kuala Lumpur today.

Redzuan, who is also the Malacca Bersatu chief, said it's important to give a "convincing narrative" on Lynas, rather than something which evokes the emotion.

"There will always be opposition. But we have to educate them. The public can even access the Lynas report.

"If it is true Lynas operation compromises health and safety, then we have to show proof and shut it down."

The government has extended the Lynas licence for another six months albeit with more stringent conditions.

It included the requirement to move the "cracking and leaching" phase of its operations, which produces radioactive waste, out of Malaysia within four years from the validity of the licence. 

The decision to renew the licence had caused disappointment among many parties who had tirelessly opposed the rare earth processing plant.

Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh had labelled Lynas the winner of the cabinet decision, saying that "people will continue to face the health risks, and the environment will have to face the risk of pollution."

Yesterday, around 500 locals converged at Taman Gelora in Kuantan, Pahang, to protestagainst the licence renewal. 

In his reaction to the continued criticism, Mahathir stressed that Lynas operation is not dangerous and the government listened to experts’ view rather than the people's popular view. 

"We sent experts to the place. The experts said there is no danger. But others keep insisting that there is a danger. This is difficult for the government to decide.

"The people's popular view is one thing. Expert's view is another thing. Do you go according to the popular view or do you go according to the expert's view?

"If you go according to the popular view, there is nothing you can do because every time we propose to do something, there will be some people who are against it," Mahathir had said. - Mkini