C4: How can Lynas waste site be built without EIA for parent complex?
The Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) has questioned the validity of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for a Lynas Malaysia waste disposal site at Bukit Ketam, Kuantan, Pahang.
This is as an EIA had not been conducted for the Multi-Category Industrial Scheduled Waste Disposal Site (MCISWDS) for which the Lynas permanent disposal facility (PDF) will be situated.
"The Department of Environment (DOE) must not approve the EIA for the PDF before an EIA is conducted for the overall MCISWDS project," C4 said in a statement today.
The MCISWDS will be built on a 202.35-hectare plot, the size of 283 football fields, which has been carved out (above) of the Bukit Kuantan permanent forest reserve.
Lynas' PDF will only occupy 58.25 hectares or 29 percent of the MCISWDS site.
It is not yet clear what other forms of waste will be stored at the MCISWDS.
Yesterday, Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh said the land that MCISWDS would be on was still categorised as a "Rank 1 environmentally sensitive area (ESA)".
Fuziah said under Town and Country Planning Department guidelines, ESA areas can't be developed. The land status can only be changed through public consultation.
As such, she said public consultations on Lynas' PDF are illegal.
Previously the rare earth company and the Pahang state government denied that the PDF would sit in a water catchment area.
However, the EIA has contradicted them, finding that it is located in the Sungai Riau catchment area.
This is as an EIA had not been conducted for the Multi-Category Industrial Scheduled Waste Disposal Site (MCISWDS) for which the Lynas permanent disposal facility (PDF) will be situated.
"The Department of Environment (DOE) must not approve the EIA for the PDF before an EIA is conducted for the overall MCISWDS project," C4 said in a statement today.
The MCISWDS will be built on a 202.35-hectare plot, the size of 283 football fields, which has been carved out (above) of the Bukit Kuantan permanent forest reserve.
Lynas' PDF will only occupy 58.25 hectares or 29 percent of the MCISWDS site.
It is not yet clear what other forms of waste will be stored at the MCISWDS.
Yesterday, Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh said the land that MCISWDS would be on was still categorised as a "Rank 1 environmentally sensitive area (ESA)".
Fuziah said under Town and Country Planning Department guidelines, ESA areas can't be developed. The land status can only be changed through public consultation.
As such, she said public consultations on Lynas' PDF are illegal.
Previously the rare earth company and the Pahang state government denied that the PDF would sit in a water catchment area.
However, the EIA has contradicted them, finding that it is located in the Sungai Riau catchment area.
The PDF is meant to store toxic waste from Lynas' Advanced Material Plant in Gebeng, Balok near the Kuantan Port.
Its processing of rare earth material at the facility produces toxic waste, including radioactive Water Leach Purification (WLP) residue.
While the waste has low radioactivity, its build-up over the years has raised concerns.
The previous Pakatan Harapan government, which as the opposition had supported protests against the facility, had unsuccessfully tried to get the waste sent back to Mt Weld in Western Australia where the original rare earth was mined before being shipped to Malaysia for processing.
Lynas Malaysia has agreed, as part of its new licensing conditions, to move its cracking and leaching operations, which produce the radioactive waste, back to Western Australia.
Its processing of rare earth material at the facility produces toxic waste, including radioactive Water Leach Purification (WLP) residue.
While the waste has low radioactivity, its build-up over the years has raised concerns.
The previous Pakatan Harapan government, which as the opposition had supported protests against the facility, had unsuccessfully tried to get the waste sent back to Mt Weld in Western Australia where the original rare earth was mined before being shipped to Malaysia for processing.
Lynas Malaysia has agreed, as part of its new licensing conditions, to move its cracking and leaching operations, which produce the radioactive waste, back to Western Australia.
Back in 2012 MCA was a noisy cockrel protesting Lynas waste but they Boh Lam Phar allow Jibby to approve the project anyway.
ReplyDeleteThen in 2019 they crowed again, asking Harapan MPs to resign for "gostaning"....
Now they are back in gomen, will MCA vacate all their seats (including non-elected Senatorship of Ah Ti) in order to stay firm on their principles...?
QUOTE
MCA: Lynas waste must go
By LOH FOON FONG and ONG HAN SEAN
NATION
Wednesday, 04 Apr 2012
KUALA LUMPUR: MCA will strongly oppose the issuance of an operating licence to the Lynas rare earth refinery project if the company cannot guarantee that the waste is taken out of the country, said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.
“As long as it (Lynas) cannot fulfil this condition, MCA will object to Lynas getting its operating licence,” he said.
Dr Chua added that this was decided after much deliberation during the MCA presidential council meeting yesterday.
The top party leaders would convey the decision to the Cabinet and the National Economic Council, he said.
UNQUOTE
QUOTE
Deceiving voters, Pakatan leaders must vacate seat for u-turn on Lynas wastes
Friday, 2 August 2019
Press statement by MCA Vice President Senator Dato’ Sri Ti Lian Ker
....Opposing Lynas’ operations was Wong Tack’s launchpad into politics and wrestling the Bentong parliamentary seat from its 3-term incumbent Dato’ Seri Liow Tiong Lai, as well as for Fuziah Salleh to retain the Kuantan parliamentary constituency. As a matter of principles, all their shouts against Lynas, in particular their insistence that Lynas’ wastes will be repatriated, Wong Tack, Fuziah Salleh, et al should relinquish their federal seats and allow a by-election to determine how much public confidence has eroded with DAP, PKR and Pakatan on the whole for all their misleading shouts.
UNQUOTE
Back in 2012 or today in 2021, MCA was never a force to pressure UMNO or PN. But what did 42 DAP MPs did in govt vis-a-vis Lynas? They capitulated to just 13. Boe Laam Phar. They should have resigned when Mahathir ignored them and continued to approve Lynas op licence. Wakakaka
DeleteHere is the list of the Boh Lam Phar MCA Ministers and Deputies in Jibby's 2012 cabinet:
Delete4 full Ministers and 9 deputies - in total even more than DAP in 2018 cabinet after GE14.
They didn't pressure Jibby in 2012 to cancel Lynas either.
Ministers:
Health - Liow Tiong Lai
Transport - Ong Tee Keat/Kong Cho Ha
Tourism - Ng Yen Yen
Housing/Local Gomen - Kong Cho Ha/Chor Chee Heung
Deputies:
Finance - Chor Chee Heung/Donald Lim
Home Affairs - Lee Chee Leong
Education - Wee KHAT Siong
Agriculture - Chua Tee Yong
Foreign Affairs - Lee Chee Leong
Higher Education - Hou Kok Chung
Youth/Sports - Wee JERK Seng/Gan Ping Sieu
Women/Family/Community - Chew Mei Fun/Heng Seai Kie
Info/Communication - Heng Seai Kie
Don't forget the Gunk was brought in by Najib
ReplyDelete