AUSTRALIA’S High Commissioner to Malaysia Andrew Goledzinowski has praised Putrajaya over its “science-based” decision to grant Lynas a conditional extension on operations at its rare earth refinery in Kuantan.

He said the government’s handling of the matter deserved respect as the operating licence for the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) was “one of the most politicised issues”.

Goledzinowski said Putrajaya’s decision to grant the six-month extension on conditions was based on findings of a scientific panel.

“Instead of making a political decision, the government appointed an independent scientific panel to conduct a transparent and rigorous review. This review (like all previous reviews) found that Lynas is intrinsically low risk and well managed.

“This conclusion did not please everyone. But the government decided to act in accordance with the evidence and will allow the company to continue to operate – in accordance with Malaysia’s strict laws and regulations,” Goledzinowski said in a statement published in The Star.

He was commenting on Putrajaya’s decision announced on Thursday to let LAMP operate for a further six months with conditions involving its handling of radioactive waste. 

The ambassador praised the decision as one that adhered to “good economic governance”, which international investors would find encouraging.

“In the eyes of the international investment community, it is what separates safe investment destinations from risky ones.

“Given the international attention that the Lynas issue has attracted, this pro-science decision is a green light, signalling that Malaysia is a safe destination for serious investment in advanced manufacturing,” he said.

Goledzinowski added that among international observers, LAMP was considered one of the most sophisticated chemical plants in Asia.

“(It is also) the only significant processor of rare earths outside of China. This makes it strategically important. And it has left many international observers puzzled about the anti-Lynas lobby.”

Goledzinowski acknowledged that Malaysians were right to be concerned about the radioactivity of LAMP’s waste but reiterated that science had shown that residues from the rare-earth processing had a low level of radioactivity.

“The levels of radiation are so low that the material does not require any special handling when it transits Australia and Singapore. Only when it reaches Malaysia’s border is it required to be labelled as radioactive. Contrary to popular opinion, Malaysia’s laws are stricter, not weaker, than in most developed countries,” he said.

He urged those who were still sceptical to engage with Lynas directly, and mentioned Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin, urging her to visit LAMP “so she can see it for herself, speak to the Malaysian engineers and scientists who run it, and understand its potential for Malaysia”.

Tomorrow, the Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas lobby group will hold a protest in Kuantan against Putrajaya’s decision on the conditional extension.

Activists, including Bentong MP Wong Tack, have said that they are not against the plant per se, but want it to fulfil its promises to handle its waste more securely, including to ship it out of Malaysia. – August 17, 2019.