KUALA LUMPUR: PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is backing calls for a review on Lynas Corp’s licence renewal.
He said he supported the move to seek negotiations with the government on the six-month licence renewal of the rare earth mining company in Gebeng, Kuantan, effective Sept 1.
The government’s decision to renew the company’s licence, has received brickbats from the public, environmentalists and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and Kuantan member of parliament Fuziah Salleh, who has cited health concerns about the plant’s radioactive waste.
Anwar said: “I am supporting the attempt to seek negotiations with the government and to call for a review on the decision.
“But I think it should be done amicably through meaningful effective negotiations between us and the government.
“I believe we can, we should allow negotiations to take place,” he told a press conference at the Jelajah Presiden ke Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur programme.
Lynas Corp’s operating licence was renewed on Aug 15.
It was announced by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB), which said Lynas must comply with three conditions.
Lynas has to move its cracking and leaching process out of the country;
It has to identify a site to construct a permanent deposit facility and to obtain written permission from the state government for the use of that site.
Lynas also has to end all research and development activities related to the use of radioactive water leach purification residue.