LETTERS: I applied to be a process engineer with Lynas Malaysia in March 2013 and despite all the stories that had been circulating i decided to join when I was offered the position.
Lynas had given me ample on the job training to grow as an employee. My immediate superior was a rare earth specialist from the China from whom I learned a great deal.
This knowledge of rare earth metallurgy and separation technology is completely new to Malaysia. And my other superior was a metallurgical expert from Australia from whom I learned my metallurgical and manufacturing skills and knowledge.
I was lucky enough to be able to learn from them. They had more than 15 years of running this sort of refinery, especially those with large rotary kilns for ore processing, waste gas treatment and metallurgy circuits. In terms of my position, I was based full time in the plant.
While in the process of reaching nameplate capacity in 2013, Lynas went through one organisational restructuring plan. The company’s intent was to maximise its workforce capabilities to generate positive output.
It was a successful plan as it managed to streamline its operations, put the right people in the right roles and bring the workforce together to gradually achieve its targeted production output.
Not forgetting that human resource (HR) personnel was present throughout the time advising employees about work-related matters, on their career paths and organising fun and exciting team building and motivational activities.
HR had been of tremendous help when its employees were affected by the worst flood in the history of Kuantan in 2013. And Lynas as a whole had always been involved in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities with surrounding communities.
At the end of 2014, with a heavy heart, I decided to leave Lynas to explore a different role as a technical sales engineer, effectively splitting my time between Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta.
I chose the new career because being a young engineer, the idea of travelling internationally was appealing. In mid-2015, I started spending most of my time in Kuala Lumpur as a Senior Engineer and I decided to come back to Kuantan.
In October 2019, opportunity came knocking when Lynas was looking at expanding its operations and was hiring. I applied for a Senior Engineer position, went through two interviews and got accepted.
I am grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to the company again and to prove to everyone that “Lynas is handling its business with the highest corporate social responsibility.”
Lynas had been a caring company and put the safety of the people and environment as its priorities when I was with them and I am proud to say that the Lynas today is still the Lynas that I knew back then.
LIM RWI HAU
Senior Process Engineer, Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times