Regardless of who forms the next government... LYNAS MUST GO! WE THE PEOPLE OF MALAYSIA SAY SO!

I wholeheartedly salute all those who have persevered in the citizens' campaign against the proposed Lynas rare earth refinery in Gebeng, near Kuantan - especially Fuziah Salleh (who first raised the issue in parliament), Tan Bun Teet (chairman of Save Malaysia Stop Lynas) and Bang Seet Ping (organizing secretary of Himpunan Hijau 2.0). On 26 February 2012, lend your support and make your stand. Lynas knows it cannot operate in a hostile environment but is stubbornly pushing on with the project because it has already invested untold amounts of money, greasing certain people's palms to fast-track their lethal and ruinous project (which was granted an unprecedented 12-year tax holiday by the Malaysian Ministry of Science, Technology and Industry!)



Lynas wants to dump wastes on island off Pahang
Koh Jun Lin | Malaysiakini
10:38AM Jan 27, 2012

Australian company Lynas Corporation, which intends to open its rare earth materials refining plant in Gebeng, near Kuantan, soon, wants radioactive solid wastes from the plant to be dumped on an uninhabited island off the coast of Pahang.

Alternatively, the wastes may be disposed off in an area where there is no development, said Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh, who has been campaigning against the rare earth plant.

These proposals are contained in Lynas’ waste management plans, which were on public display until yesterday, said Fuziah (left), who is a PKR vice-president.

“They say that they have not identified the location of the Permanent Disposal Facility (PDF), but they are considering a few options.

One option is an island off the coast of Pahang that is uninhabited,” she said when contacted.

The PDF is intended for the plant’s solid waste stream, which is classified as radioactive wastes.

The other two waste streams also contain radioactive materials, but have not been classified as radioactive and Lynas intends to recycle and commercialise these.

However, Fuziah said, the location of the island has not been determined because the idea “is still being considered.”

‘Radioactive materials can leach into the sea’

Voicing her strong opposition to the proposal, Fauziah yesterday handed over a written submission to the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) in Kuantan.

“This must never be allowed as the materials from the PDF can leach into the sea,” her submission states.

“Considering that radionuclides have a half-life of 14 billion years, it is feared that the leachate will harm marine life a few hundred years down the road.”

As for the alternative, she told Malaysiakini, “Basically, it will have to be in the jungle. But you don’t even know... there will come a day when the future generations want to develop that land”.

The government, Fuziah added, should follow the examples of other countries, where waste disposal facilities are the responsibility of the state. This especially so, because Lynas only plans to be in Malaysia for about 20 years.

Outspoken Kuantan MP and PKR vice-president Fuziah Salleh has been spearheading
the campaign to stop Lynas before anyone even heard about this sneaky project

Press conference in Kuantan on 26 January 2012 after handing over a 4-page joint memorandum
by the Stop Lynas Coalition and Save Malaysia Stop Lynas to the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB)
and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Industry (MOSTI) 

"To put a toxic waste dump so close to where people are fishing and there's tourism is highly irresponsible."

Lynas is doing a dangerously messy job at Mt Weld extracting rare earth...

Poisonous leaks: Lynas extracting rare earth at Mount Weld, Western Australia

MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE NATIONA:L TOXICS NETWORK
28 November 2011

Lynas Corporation granted ‘permit to pollute’ with radioactive waste

Controversial rare earth manufacturer Lynas Corporation has been granted a licence by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) that will allow the company to store radioactive slurry in ponds that will leak over 5 million litres of radioactive waste per annum, the National Toxics Network said today.

“This ‘permit to pollute’ comes on the back of the discovery by the DEC that the original tailings ponds built by Lynas would leak an astonishing 186,000 litres per day or, 67 million litres of contaminated waste per annum” said Lee Bell, NTN spokesperson.

The ponds are situated at the Lynas Concentrator plant at Mt Weld near Laverton.

“Rare earth ores from the Mount Weld mine undergo chemical processing at the plant with radioactive waste slurry from the process being dumped in ponds. The DEC refused to allow Lynas to dump their waste until they had constructed a smaller lined pond specifically for waste disposal” Mr Bell said.

Lynas plans to ship rare earth ore overland to Fremantle and then by sea to Kuantan, Malaysia

“Lynas have admitted in their Radiation Management Plan that their ore, concentrate and waste are sufficiently radioactive to be above the annual public dose limit of 1mSv per year. Despite this the DEC will let them use ponds that will leak up to 5 million litres per year of radioactive tailings waste” said Mr Bell.

“The Department of Mines and Petroleum have declared that the Lynas waste slurry must be managed as radioactive tailings due to its thorium and uranium content yet the concentrate, which has much higher radioactivity will not be transported as radioactive material - despite earlier approvals requiring this higher level of regulation. Malaysia will also require the Lynas concentrate to be transported as a radioactive material as soon as it lands” Mr Bell said.

“This is in stark contrast to public statements by Lynas that their product is so low in radiation that it does not need to be transported as a radioactive material when it is shipped through WA and Fremantle Ports. The public are being hoodwinked and government agencies are supporting this deception,” said Mr Bell

NTN calls on the Western Australian government to stop the leakage at Mount Weld and ban any shipments of the Lynas concentrate until an independent assessment of the radiation risks of Lynas concentrate is made public.

Media Contact – Lee Bell +61417 1966 04




Save Malaysia Stop Lynas Press Statement on Lynas’s Leaky Project
Monday, 28th November 2011

Lynas’s Mount Weld Plant Leaking Toxic Waste

The Save Malaysia Stop Lynas Committee (SMSL) has been informed by the Australian watch group National Toxic Network that Lynas’s Western Australia’s (WA) Mount Weld tailing ponds would leak an astonishing 186,000 litres of radioactive waste per day or, 67 million litres of contaminated waste per annum.

The WA Department of Environment and Conservation DEC has refused to allow Lynas to dump their waste until they have constructed a lined pond specifically for waste disposal.

“It is indeed a shocking discovery that Lynas would dare to do this knowing full well it would not be acceptable in Australia,” says Mr Tan Bun Teet, Chairman of SMSL.

However, even the new lined tailings facility is estimated to leak at the rate of up to 14,000 litres per day according to the Department of Environment and Conservation.

SMSL calls on the Government to suspend the construction of the Lynas Advanced Material Plant (LAMP) and institute a full-scale independent engineering audit.

Since exposure in the New York Times in late June of the LAMP’s serious design flaws and shoddy construction, there has not been any official investigation or independent audit to ascertain and ensure that Lynas has properly rectified the problems.

Lynas’s persistent recalcitrant behaviour is of great concern and a massive risk to public health and safety. If LAMP is allowed to operate, serious contamination problems will ensue, risking the entire economy and well-being of the local people and Malaysia as a whole.

It is high time the BN government exercised genuine prudence in the interest of public safety, the sustainability of vital environmental resources, and for the sake of our long-term economic health. We call on the government to use its power to fully and thoroughly investigate the various disturbing issues which have surfaced.

To date, the public has not been given access to detailed information on the project and Lynas's long-term waste management plan is unclear - although these are two of the key recommendations specified by the IAEA and agreed to both by the Malaysian Government and Lynas as requirements to comply with before the pre-operating licence is issued.

Find out more here!

WE'RE DETERMINED TO STOP YOU, LYNAS! GREEDY PIGS!

GET HUNGRY AS CHEF WANI PREPARES A MEAL YOU WON'T FORGET!

Part of the Series: Survival Guide Untuk Kampong Radioaktif 
Follow us on FB: www.facebook/kampongradioaktif

SAVE MALAYSIA STOP LYNAS! 
2,000 attend a piñata party at Taman Gelora, Pahang, on 13 November 2011...

Expressing anger at the destructivity of Lynas brings out the creativity in Malaysians!

Guardians of the piñatas...   

Getting ready to lynch the Lynas gremlins...

Section of the large crowd at the early morning event.

A total of 26 colorful  piñatas were designed and constructed by volunteers.

Although piñata bashing is popular in Mexico, the ritual actually originated in China. 
It's supposed to banish the demons of ill fortune and bring good luck to the community.

As usual the men-in-blue were instructed to do everything possible to deter people from venting
their frustration and determination to stop this hideous project that benefits nobody except
Lynas and a handful of UMNO warlords. They ought to be ashamed of themselves - serving
the big-time crooks and intimidating decent citizens!

Aerobics session in the fresh morning air...

A local resident braves police harassment to express her disgust.

Section of the multiracial crowd courageously voicing their disapproval
of the dirty business deal between BN and Lynas. They are determined to keep
up the protest until the environmentally ruinous project is halted.

The people of Kuantan cherish their beautiful beaches and laidback lifestyle.
They're ready to battle any villainous corporation and corrupt regime 
through non-violent means...

A whole new generation of awakened activists is born - no thanks to Lynas!

[Photos courtesy of SAVE MALAYSIA STOP LYNAS]

Save Malaysia arrives at Lynas's doorstep!

Feisty Dozen stage protest at Lynas head office in Sydney, 5 July 2011.

56 Pitt Street, Sydney: Lynas head office located here.

Lunch hour crowd wonders what the protest is about...

Telling Sydneysiders what Lynas intends to do in Malaysia...

Expert opinion against the rare earth processing plant.

The Australian media takes note of the event...

Tuan Haji Ismail came all the way from Kuantan to stop Lynas.

Better pro-active than radio-active!

Lots of pedestrians were curious about the event...

It's always a question of what we value most...

Malaysians resident in Sydney helped coordinate the event.

A plain and simple message...

On Tuesday, 5 July 2011 the Save Malaysia Committee, with the help of an Australian NGO and Malaysians residing in Sydney, demonstrated at the Lynas head office at 56 Pitt Street. Staged during the lunch hour to attract maximum attention, six representatives of the group then attended an hour-long meeting with Lynas CEO, Nicholas Curtis. 

On Wednesday and Thursday (6 & 7 July), Save Malaysia will be meeting Australian MPs and senators in Canberra.

A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL WHO MADE THIS EVENT POSSIBLE!

[Photos courtesy of Save Malaysia Campaign]

Our heartfelt thanks to the People's Green Coalition

I salute the members of PGC who did a fantastic job presenting the wishes of the people to the IAEA panel commissioned by the Najib regime. Thank you for sticking your necks out on behalf of all decent Malaysians!



Part 2      Part 3
                        
Memorandum To The IAEA Panel Investigation on
The Public Nuisance of the LAMP Project
in Gebeng Industrial Estate Pahang Malaysia

31 May 2011

Submitted by The People’s Green Coalition Malaysia.

Introduction

The People’s Green Coalition was invited by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to submit its views on the LAMP project to the IAEA Panel at 4.30pm on the 31st, May 2011.

The Coalition was represented by:

1. Mr. Ahmad Bongsu Bin Abdul Hamid Tuah, Nuclear Physicist.
2. Dr. Jayabalan, Physician in Occupational Medicine and Toxicologist at National Toxicology Centre University of Science Malaysia.
3. Prof. Tan Kah Kheng, Professor of Chemical Engineering HELP University, Visiting Fellow University of Cambridge.

The Position of the People’s Green Coalition

The Coalition supports resolutely the demand of the people of Pahang and Malaysia to stop LAMP from operating in Malaysia based on the following reasons:

1. The project will cause grave ecology disaster to the environment of Pahang and the whole of Malaysia resulting in irreversible damage to the flora, fauna and human settlements.

2. The toxic chemicals emitted during the manufacturing process and the radioactive waste products will severely damage the health and well-being of the population of Pahang and Malaysia.

3. A severely damage ecology will affect fishing, agricultural and animal husbandry industries whose products will be contaminated and hence will be rejected by both the local and international markets.

4. Once contaminated, the palm oil exports will not be accepted by the international communities with the dire consequences of causing a possible collapse of the palm oil industries in Malaysia resulting in irrevocable damage to the national economy.

5. The property prices in and around Kuantan have already seen a sharp decline due to the fear of chemical and radioactive contamination of the environment. The tourism industries will similarly experience a decline as tourists avoid visiting a contaminated environment.

6. The radioactive waste will last for an infinite period of time thus further endangering the health and life of generations to come.

The risks to the community far outweigh the benefits which will largely be gained by Lynas since it will enjoy a period of 12 years of tax exemption. The employment opportunities purported is facile if the risks to the workers were taken into account.

Malaysia has endured a tragic experience when Mitsubishi Corporation established the Asian Rare Earth Plant in Bukit Merah Perak about 30 years ago. It is an undeniable fact that the people of Bukit Merah suffered grievous bodily harm till today as Mitsubishi is still attempting to clean up the radioactive waste in the region.

Conclusion

The People’s Green Coalition resolutely rejects the LAMP project in Gebeng Industrial Estate, Pahang.

Submitted by The People’s Green Coalition Malaysia
Dated 31st May 2011

NB: A detailed study of the EIA and RIA reports will be submitted in due course in view of the short notice of invitation by MITI to this consultation as well as the late release of EIA and RIA reports by MITI on the 30th May 2011.

Lynas: Piling abuse on top of abuse

LET'S STOP THIS BLOODY NONSENSE 

ONCE AND FOR ALL!

GET RID OF BN!

The Lies behind Lynas: an excellent letter from the founder of Malaysia's Green Party to the Australian High Commissioner

May 22, 2011

H.E. Miles Kupa
Australian High Commissioner
Australian High Commission
6 Jalan Yap Kwan Seng
50450 KUALA LUMPUR

Telephone: 2146 5555
Fax: 2141 5773

Your Excellency,

We, concerned citizens of Malaysia, are of the understanding that Lynas Corporation has made one or more payments to the Malaysian Government.

We suspect and fear that this has somewhat helped to fast track the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) approval process - without public knowledge and through a very loose Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) despite a complex and hazardous project.

Under Malaysia's Official Secrets Act, we will have little, if any, hope of getting any truth out of our Government, even though this matter is of utmost national interest.

In the interests of both Malaysia and Australia, both Lynas and our Government should be transparent about the approval process.

As Australia has been a strong advocate of good governance and is committed to stamping out corruption, we call upon your good Government to compel Lynas Corporation to adhere to its stated value of honesty and transparency to reveal the deal it has struck with the Malaysian Government and also to make all payment records public. This is of interest not only to all Malaysians but also to the Australian shareholders of Lynas Corporation.

We trust that the Australian Government is committed to protecting the good name of Australia and will not risk one corporation's headlong quest for profit, at the expense of the health of Malaysians and the local environment, to tarnish the good reputation of Australia.

We therefore urge the Australian Government to investigate Lynas Corporation for any possible wrongdoings in its dealings with the Malaysian Government. We were appalled and disgusted to learn that Lynas Corporation had offered a job to the soon-to-be-retired Director-General of the Malaysian Atomic Agency Licensing Board (AELB), Yang Berbahagia Datuk Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan, by his own admission. I am sure you will agree with me that such an offer is tantamount to fair dinkum conflict of interest, collusion and corruption.

Thank you,

Azlan Adnan
Founder, Green Party of Malaysia

Correspondence Address:
Letter Box 20, Wisma Chartis
99 Jalan Ampang
50450 KUALA LUMPUR
Malaysia

Fax: +603-7732 3300
Web: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6850526636
Email: harithabhoomi.malaysia@gmail.com

Please add YOUR voice to the SAVE MALAYSIA! STOP LYNAS! campaign by signing the petition and writing to the Australian High Commissioner, c.c.'ed to online and print media.

Thank you!

MEMORANDUM TO THE GOVERNMENT & PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA

Save Malaysia Committee
B-6 Taman Tunas Manja,
Jalan Air Putih, 25300 Kuantan.
Pahang Darul Makmur.

Date: 20/05/2011

HIS EXCELLENCY
AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER TO MALAYSIA
KUALA LUMPUR

Your Excellency,

RE: LYNAS ADVANCED MATERIAL PLANT (LAMP) NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN GEBENG, KUANTAN, MALAYSIA

We the residents of Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia are extremely concerned over the proposed construction and operation of the above plant.

It is common knowledge that:

1) LAMP will be processing rare earths oxide which contains Thorium.
2) Thorium is a known radioactive material.
3) The mineral monazite which contains the Thorium is mined at Mount Weld in Western Australia and will be shipped to Kuantan, through Freemantle Port for processing at LAMP.

As your country is the originator of this dangerous material it is only right that your country must take responsibility for its presence here in this country.

We are not convinced by the assurances of LAMP, (and others allied to their cause), that the LAMP is safe. If it truly were so, surely then your country should readily keep that industry within its borders, or at the very least, be prepared to take back the waste ( which contains the deadly thorium). But your country has flatly refused to take back their own waste. Source: The Star (12/04/2011, Pg. N.23)

Malaysians have had experience with Thorium, in the Bukit Merah plant in Ipoh, Perak. The consequences of that fiasco are still continuing. Children born deformed or retarded are still alive but unable to articulate their plight while some have lost their lives to cancer.

LAMP claims that their plant is totally different from that of Bukit Merah facility and that the levels of radioactivity is very low. But we remain unconvinced, nor are we prepared to experiment with our health and lives and those of our future generations.

We the residents of Kuantan, appeal to your higher values and call upon you , to do all that you can, to stop the shipment of this Thorium containing material from your country.

Surely, your country being a respectable member of the international community would not allow an International Convention to be flouted or circumvented.

Your Excellency, we the people of Kuantan do not want, in our midst LAMP and for that matter any other company that produces any form of radioactive material.

Your Excellency, does it not seem unconscionable to you that ore containing this radioactive material should be shipped 4000km from your country to Malaysia for the monetary gain of LAMP while the people of Kuantan are left to face the long term effects of the obnoxious waste?
This Thorium waste, as your Excellency would already know, is radioactive and has a ½ life of 14 billion years. Thus, for generations to come , we the people of Malaysia will be exposed to the risks of radioactive contaminations.

Your Excellency, this Movement, is inspired by the most lofty ideals - that of human lives and health. We are resolved to continue our struggle to safeguard our air, water and soil from LAMP’s (and others’) deadly wastes. The vast majority of Malaysians share our mission. We again exhort you, to do all that you can, within your power to stop the dangerous ore from leaving your own shores.

We trust you understand and share our concerns. Many Australians in fact, already do, as the Internet reveals.

Mr Robin Chapple, MLC, Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region is “deeply worried” as expressed in his media release dated 13/04/2011.

I annex a copy of the release downloaded from the internet, for your further reading.

I trust that you will act as a good citizen of the world, and of Australia in particular.

Yours sincerely,
Vincent Jiam

(Hand phone: 016 931 8081)
Chairperson, Save Malaysia Committee