ABC Newsline has aired a video feature on plans by Australian mining firm Lynas Corporation to build a plant to refine rare earths in Gebeng. Kuantan residents, worried about radioactive waste, are protesting.
Watch the video clip here.
ABC Newsline went to Malaysia including the site of the Lynas rare earth refinery a couple of weeks ago to do a story. It is about an Australian rare earth company Lynus Corporation, constructing a refinery in an area closed to densely populated fishing communities and the city of Kuantan with about half a million people.
Local residents and environmentalists in Malaysia have since got organised to stage a series of protest actions against the project which will leave behind a huge amount of radioactive wastes containing a cocktail of other hazardous substances behind.
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I was living about 3 miles off the Asean Rare Earth in Tanah Merah, and had visited the Malaysian Nature Society camp in Papan, which is just off the dump site for the radioactive material, together with my son who was around 8years old. Nine years later, my son was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, which was attributed to exposure to radioactivity or to excess petrol fuel, and which necessitated a bone marrow transplant for a cure. I don’t know how much radioactivity will come from the Lynas plant…but all I wish the people of Kuantan to know is… Read more »
The report says Lynas is going to leave behind a huge amount of radioactive waste well that is just not true the waste is going to be stored saftly for a short time and then turned in to various products such as gypsum ect… THERE WILL BE NO WASTE!!!! and no dumping only storage for a short time … This will really be no different than the chemicles stored at the petrochemical plants in the same area…All you guys really need to listen to the scientific facts not the lies you are being told for political gain you are being… Read more »
Five out of the 10 chapters in the currently used Form Four history book are dedicated to Islamic history and civilisation. Are the other religious civilisations being “sidelined”?
Religions should be presented in a balanced manner instead of putting heavy emphasis on Islam while the other religions are sidelined. There appeared to be an attempt to condition the minds of the young to accept the syariah law as the “suitable and practical law for a multi-racial nation.
I thought Islamic Studies (covering Islamic Civilization) is already a stand-alone subject in SPM. Why the need for duplication? It is good for Muslims in Malaysia to have a good understanding of other civilizations and religions as well to promote better understanding in a multi-racial country like us.
There is one other fact that seems not to be discussed. The projection of profit and economic benefit of the plant is EXAGERATED. Due to he shortage, there are several rare-earth plant being initiated all over the world – when they start, the suppose spin-off of the plant is a lot less than being shouted about..
That’s an interesting point. Was the price of rare earths affected much by China’s recent change of rare earths policy. I imagine it made a lot of non-Chinese investors very skittish, but wouldn’t it also have pushed some previously tepid states over the edge into committing to production?
Do you think the Australians care two hoot! When it concerned Asian and Pacific Islanders?…no way. The Australian business elites are most unprincipled and unscrupulous when it comes to making money. Just take the example of the copper mine in Papua New Guinea, the serious damage they have done to that country, just because the corrupted politicians were working hand in hand with these “ugly Australians”. Do not allow this to happen to the innocent residents of this land.
“ugly Australians”? I think filial piety has blinded you. The entire industry is determined by China’s demand for raw materials and its recent manipulation of the market to undermine Japan’s existing industry. A major kick-off deal for this is between Lynas and Japan’s Sojitz. It seems to me as though Australia (as a nation) is the only one acting respectably in this literally toxic issue: the state is protecting its environment and people. China, Japan and Malaysia – who all enjoy a shortage of ugly Australians – are throwing themselves recklessly into a rare earths orgy to the obvious detriment… Read more »
Actually we ugly Australians do care about the environment and you need to get all the facts straight because this plant is going to be good for Malaysia..
Watch out !
That … MB of Pahang is going to send the Polis to tangkap anyone who dare to speak out against Lynas !!
Sounds scary. However, when people in Kuantan has nothing to lose other than their life, I wonder how Polis Dia Raja going to curb all future protest.
Have you been taken away for speaking out against Lynas also?
Latest news: a. Fukushima Reactor 1 Fuel Rods Fully Exposed, Reactor 4 In Danger Of Collapsing http://www.zerohedge.com/article/fukushima-reactor-1-fuel-rods-fully-exposed-reactor-4-danger-collapsing? b. Nuclear CRISIS: Plutonium now being detected in Japanese soil – http://www.thedailycrux.com/content/7295/Japan Please go to these websites to read – there is even a water-current simulation to show directions of the contaminated seawater flow. Its really eye-opening. I wish those Pahangites and Rakyat will read these. Cameron Highlands supply veggies & fruits to whole of Malaysia. Our Powerment dont understand/read Engrang nor appreciate SOP-Manuals/Spareparts/Expertise (as in PgHill railcoach debacle) – so its only we got to protest to take care of our Rakyats’… Read more »
gerakan k,
where r U? surely its good for foreign investment, aint it? RM8b oh?
Currently I’m too busy working on a food franchise works. Even less time for anil blog. RM8 billion ??? I don’t know. But certainly it is a good FDI after various parties have confirmed that it is a safe one.
Unless you can show me one professional report that showed that company operations are not safe, I stick to my opinion ie that is good FDI.
That’s a nice video. I think the Malaysians come across very well, particularly considering they’re having to argue their side in a foreign language.
What is Lynas’s explanation for not processing the raw material in Australia again?
Sean
The Australian government (probably) don’t allow so they come to Malaysia. And why Malaysia govt. allowed it(?) … because it benefit their cronies(?)…. from 8b investment.
not true they could have built the plant in Australia but the truth is the cost in Malaysia is one third plus the running cost will be about one third of that of Australia this adds up to millions of dollars every year a pretty big reason don’t you think… thats the fact..
hope this helps Dor..