Activists to appeal DOE’s approval of Lynas PDF plan

 

A group of environmental activists is filing an appeal against the approval of Lynas' permanent disposal facility (PDF) project within the Gebeng Industrial Estate in Kuantan, Pahang.

This is after the Department of Environment (DOE) approved an application by a royalty-linked firm to construct the PDF for Lynas' radioactive water leach purification (WLP) residue on Dec 28.

The six appellants are Save Malaysia Stop Lynas (SMSL) chairperson Tan Bun Teet, SMSL members Chan Kam Seon, Lim Foo Yew, and Feini Tuang, as well as Semambu PKR coordinator Chan Chun Kuang, and Indera Mahkota PKR parliamentary affairs manager Zuraidi Ismail.

Tan told Malaysiakini today that the group’s lawyer submitted a notice to the DOE's appeal board on Thursday (Jan 27).

SMSL will submit its grounds of appeal next month and invite environmental experts to support its bid, he said.

“If we fail, we will then consider applying for judicial review from the court," he said.

He disclosed one of their grounds for appeal is that the PDF project didn’t seek advice from the National Physical Planning Council (NPPC) and therefore has violated Section 20(B) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1976.

Tan added that SMSL has also informed Lynas regarding its appeal decision.

He warned Lynas not to commence construction of the PDF before the appeal is dealt with.

“We will not take any responsibility for (Lynas’) losses if it deliberately commences PDF construction before getting any results from the appeal board,” he said.

Last December, the DOE approved Gading Senggara Sdn Bhd (GSSB)'s application to build the facility.

GSSB is primarily owned by Pahang Regent Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah.

Opponents of the PDF claim that the facility poses significant health and environmental risks to the surrounding populace.

Among others, they claimed the site for the PDF is at risk of flooding, especially if global warming continues. -  Mkini