Guan Eng: We will talk about Lynas but not here

Lim Guan Eng is of the opinion that the National Tax Conference 2019 is not the appropriate venue to discuss the Lynas Corp issue, which has detractors accusing Pakatan Harapan of backpedalling on its election promise.

Speaking to reporters at the sidelines of the event in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon, the finance minister was asked if Malaysia needed a rare earth processing plant.

“I think the minister concerned has addressed that,” said Lim in reference to Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Yeo Bee Yin.

“We will be talking about this but not here. I would prefer to address it at another venue,” he added.

Last week, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's said the government is waiting for Lynas to furnish a plan to deal with its radioactive waste before deciding on renewing is operating licence.

On Saturday, Yeo said while the cabinet's decision to allow Lynas to explore a permanent disposal facility (PDF) is far from ideal, it is still better than the status quo.

Previously, Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, was a vocal critic of Lynas, whose operations in Malaysia started under the BN administration.

In one video recording from 2012, which often makes the rounds on social media, Lim claimed that those in the then government had supported Lynas because of money, while the opposition is against it because it wanted the people to be safe.

“Those who support Lynas have no humanity,” he had said.

Recently, sources revealed to Malaysiakini that Putrajaya is expected to extend the operation permit for Lynas for a provisional period of six months.

It was also learnt that at least three ministers were in favour of the permit renewal, although the trio, together with other ministers in the cabinet meeting, remained consistent in their stand against Lynas.

"After six months, they will evaluate the situation again," a source had said.

Lynas' permit renewal is a political hot potato because it has economic benefits – as well as political benefits as it is the world's only major producer of rare earths outside China - but it is sensitive due to its associated health risks and lingering scars from the AREfiasco.

The revelation had drawn ire from parties who strongly oppose Lynas, with DAP youth deputy chief Chiong Yoke Kong calling for the cabinet to make public its minutes on the discussion regarding Lynas's licence renewal, as well as reveal where each minister stood on the issue.

"Since the Pakatan Harapan government is making a huge U-turn on the issue of Lynas, it has the responsibility to explain to the voters.

"'New Malaysia' should not be governed based on paternalism as before and the voters have the right to know the truth behind the decisions made," said Chiong.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Fuziah Salleh said that ministers, who were formerly from Barisan Nasional, "failed to see the real issues which she and her comrades fought for."

In May, Bentong MP Wong Tack had said that he stood by his opposition against Lynas, and said that it had broken its agreement to send back its waste to Australia by keeping it in Malaysia instead. - Mkini