Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh's sarcastic suggestion that Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd build its permanent disposal facility (PDF) in Ampang, the constituency of fellow PKR lawmaker Zuraida Kamaruddin, is not helpful, said the latter's political secretary.

Hizwan Ahmad said Zuraida, as the housing and local government minister, is bound by the majority decision in the cabinet, which extended Lynas' operating licence for its rare earth processing plant in Gebeng.

However, he said Zuraida had sought to help by offering to cooperate with the Pahang government to ensure the PDF complies with all regulations.

"This is better than the status quo, which does not appear to be under control and causing public anxiety.

"Unfortunately, the Kuantan MP's social media post sarcastically suggesting that it (PDF) should be built in Ampang appears to belittle this effort.

"It is a statement that does not help to solve the problem and belittles the government's efforts to find a resolution," he said in a statement last night.

Hizwan said Fuziah should evaluate her statement, as it could send the wrong message, adding that Fuziah should communicate better instead of quarrelling in public.

Fuizah's Facebook post was only shared among friends and was not set to public.

On Aug 15, the government extended Lynas' operating licence for six months, but set a condition for it to come up with a construction and financing plant for a PDF to store its radioactive waste.

"The construction of the PDF must be expedited to minimise the risk from the water leach purification (WLP) stockpile that is now at more than 580,000 tonnes at the temporary residue storage facility which is exposed to major floods," said the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB).

AELB also required Lynas to shift the cracking and leaching phase of operations, which produces radioactive waste, to overseas within four years.

It also asked Lynas to terminate its efforts to commercialise the waste turning it into fertiliser, and instructed funds for this research to be channelled to the government as collateral.

The condition has not soothed public anger, as Pakatan Harapan leaders had promised in the past to shut down the plant altogether.