COMMENT | The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) and Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) welcome the government’s move in not giving in to the pressure by Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd to revoke the previous operating conditions imposed in 2020, most importantly regarding the shifting of the cracking and leaching process (which involves radioactive material) to outside of Malaysia.

In a media statement yesterday, Science,Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang confirmed that the earlier condition that Lynas must stop importing and processing rare earths concentrate after July 1, 2023 is maintained. This means that Lynas can only refine the materials at the Gebeng plant. The “cracking and leaching” of lanthanide concentrate cannot be done here.

The renewal of the three-year licence granted to Lynas in 2020 also subjected Lynas to develop a permanent disposal facility (PDF) for its radioactive waste, and there can be no more importing of materials...