Pictures- Lynas briefed the delegation on The Rare Earth and Demonstrated the radioactivity of various industrial materials at Mt. Weld.Lynas Corporation Ltd is the Rare Earth deposit or Lanthanides producer at Mount Weld, near Laverton in Western Australia. It has commenced its construction of the concentration plant at Mt .Weld and the Advanced Materials Plant in the Gebeng Industrial Area in Kuantan to process the concentrate through to the final products.
The Ministry of Sains, Teknologi Dan Inovasi Malaysia (MOSTI) has initiated a trip to visit the mine site at Mt. Weld to have better understanding of the raw material (Rare Earth) that is going to be brought in to the said processing plant in Gebeng.
The trip was lead by the deputy minister, YB Tn Hj Fadillah Bin Yusof who was accompanied by the atomic energy and radiation expertise from the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) as follows:
YBhg. Prof.Dato’ Dr. Noramly Bin Muslim-(Chairman of the Board)
YM Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan - (Director General of MOSTI)
En. Mohd Yasin Sudin - (Director of Licensing Director) and
YH. Dato’ Dr Daub - (Pengarah of Neclear Energy Agency)
YB Chang and I have represented the State Government to find out and better understand the needful during the trip.
We have visited the mine site at Mt Weld and were given introduction on its Rare Earth production as well as explanation on its radioactivity as compared to other industrial materials that are commonly used. A special Q&A session was also carried out by the top management of Lynas and the Australian Authority to address our concerns on its impact on the Safety, Health and environment (SHE) at Gebeng. Due to many details are highly technical which may not be easily explained or highlighted with one or two words, it was agreed that Lynas Corporation and AELB are to hold forums within the next one to two months for the different target groups in order to address the raised concerns and doubts.
I hope through these forums, all interested parties such as political parties, NGOs, public and individual will have a better insight of this project.
20 comments:
YB Dato'
Selamat Tahun Baru Cina
Keep up the good work!
镱马拉斯瓦庞和家庭，
快乐的农历新年。恭喜发财。
5月新的一年里，为您带来的繁荣和良好的健康，继续为人民服务的Semambu国和彭亨。
自，
达图斯Shamsuddin Nawawi
Get this crap out of Gebeng.this is bad for the health of Kuantan people.if you really a ADUN who thinks and work only for the people,you would have totally disagreed with this project.this is not beneficial to Kuantan residents at all. this is not development nor something that brings in fresh air. Please please. we do not want this rubbish in gebeng!
I thought the effect of radiological hazards arised from the controversial Asian Rare Earth plant in Lahat, Ipoh and the protest from the Bukit Merah residents some years back would have been a good excuse not to resume this sort of plant here in Malaysia. No?
A Msian in Libya
Dear Gebeng Hancur and Anonymous.
Thank you for your comments.
I suggest that you attend the forum to know more and you may then raise as many questions as possible to the relevent people and authority. They will be there to litsen to voices and also answer all queries as well as to provide more knowledge about the project.
There are many questions which I cannot answer and make decision on behalf even if I am as doubtful and concern about anything as you do. We have raised the need to look into the matter further, therefor the need to hold forums with all relevant and concerned parties.
This is also a chance for us to gather facts & figures as well as relevent technical knowledge about the project and its materials before a logical and fair decision is made.
Please play your part. Hope to see you at the forum. The date will be announced once confirmed.
Thank you.
Pak Karamu visiting your blog
Dato' the same issue happen in Raub,where BN lost Aduan Tras.Advice to u to address the issue properly.
YB Dato'Pang,
We should be cautious concerning about this LYNAS rare earth processing plant at Gebeng. If it is really true that the processing of the rare earth produces radioactive and hazardous material to the environment in the district of Kuantan, we should have more data and scientific evidence to prove to the residents of Kuantan that it is environmental friendly. we don't want to suffer the consequences of ill health and sickness in future and as a Yang Berhormat, you have to think about the health and safety of the residents of Kuantan. We don't want another "Bukit Merah, Perak" episode in Kuantan.
Dear Dato',
I agreed...we have to ensure that kuantan or m'sia is the most safest place for us to live and work...but without denying any development to our town.
I heard that Lynas management had conducted a meeting wt AELB and MINT at Bangi last month. do your know the output..? The comment and conclusion from the expertise is very important...if they say the project is potentially bring hazard to the kuantan citizen....I think that is not good statement because many more chemical / oil-gas plants operating at gebeng are hazardous. the comment has to be technically compare what are the differences between Lynas to another plant operating at gebeng. How big is the impacts. Then the state government has to make a right decision. by looking only the words of "radioactive"...i think that is unfair for us to blindly blame lynas operation because we have to understand WHAT is the level of the radiation... that is the most important. MINT also has a pilot nuclear plant at their site in bangi which using plutonium / uranium (i guess...)and it is a radioactive source..somemore DS Najib also announced that m'sia is keen to "tiru" korean technology in developing a small scale nuclear power plant in future. We have to be not only an open speaker in this project but a very highly qualified personal before we open our mouth...if AELB/MINT people give a green light, then we shall accept it..
Dear Anak kampung,
TQVM. I guess you are a very knowledgeable person as I read wisdom in your comment.
I have received voices from the public ever since the matter was discussed in Junuary. It is a common perception that the word "Radioactive" and "Hazardous" link together naturally if one does not get the insight of the whole issue. However, I am also at no position to give any superficial or baseless comment. therefor, I have requested the State Government to have the expertise from the Atomic & Energy Licensing Board to brief the public on the matter.
I hope you will attend the briefing once it is announced. Please keep yourself posted with the day.
Thank you.
Let's put it this way. This is Malaysia, its a 3rd world. The whole system is corrupted. The maintenance tidak-apa mentality is rampant. Do you trust the paper documents from Lunas or the government saying that it is safe? Please lah, we have stolen jet engines, roof collapsing, this project is a disaster waiting to happen regardless of the assurance the government or the company gives. No rare earth processing plant, not under BN's watch. How can BN assure us that all the precautious have been carried out? What if a BN contractor is carrying out the maintenance, you want me to trust them with my life? What a joke.
I find it rather interesting and a bad reflection of an irresponsible adun that you would support a project that you yourself claimed to be ignorant of. If you yourself could not stand up to basic scrutiny of your belief and support and continually referred to some dubious authorities why may I ask we should continually elect you to lead us when you are continually lead asunder, hither and thither by people with deep vested interest ?
The reasons given by lynas and malaysian government for relocating to kuantan were disingenious. The real reason was that the australian government had imposed very stringent and costly requirement for the radioactive waste with a comprehensive monitoring program. It has NOTHING TO DO WITH LACK OF WATER.
The problem is not radioactive radiation but environmental contamination of radioactive waste. Given sufficient distance from the radioactive source it will always decay to background radiation. When you dilute the radioactive waste with sufficient dirt you will always have low enough radiation to be considered "safe". And this is precisely what we were told to be "safe" even by our corrupt government officials at the atomic agency.
Because this is safe we were told that this will be used in gypsum board and as fertiliser.
This is hogwash and it stinks to seven heaven. NO WHERE IN THE WORLD would any atomic agency allow for such radioactive disposal accept in bolehland.
Remember all it takes is just ONE radioactive thorium in your system that is decaying to cause tissue damage. Once in your system we won't know when it will decay.
It is a ticking time bomb in all who were contaminated and in years to come the incidence of cancer and diabetes will shoot off the roof.
Get it out of malaysia. Lynas should have stayed in australia and it is indeed the most sensible thing to do. Take it out of the ground and put it back in the same ground.
If you were an responsible adun you should speak out clearly your stand after careful consideration of all material facts and speaking and listening to enough people and not kept deferring your stance and responsibility.
Give us one good reason to re-elect you in GE 13 !
Dear YB, it is totally understandable that you are not in the right position to make decision, or question answering on behalf. But YB please kindly be reminded that you as the representative of the people of Kuantan, it shall be your responsibility, or duty to find out the answer for the question from people, strive your best to solve the problem of kuantan people or to clear any doubts from us, Kuantan people.
Please kindly google "biological effect of Lanthanoid", and YB you would find out bunch of results. "Lanthanoids entering the human body due to exposure to various industrial processes can affect metabolic processes. Trivalent lanthanoid ions, especially La3+ and Gd3+, can interfere with calcium channels in human and animal cells. Lanthanoids can also alter or even inhibit the action of various enzymes. Lanthanoid ions found in neurons can regulate synaptic transmission, as well as block some receptors." This is one of the result that i copied, and it sounds horrifying for me, as Gebeng is not too far away from Kuantan. And i believe, that is the reason why Kuantan people question on the project. What is the safety precaution taken? Any official report or announcement from Lynas Corporation Ltd to clarify that the process of Lanthanoid in Gebeng is ABSOLUTELY hazardous-free? Any black and white from Lynas Corporation Ltd or The Ministry of Sains, Teknologi Dan Inovasi Malaysia (MOSTI) to CONFIRM that the lathonoid processing plant in Gebeng is not hazardous to Kuantan people's health, and certified by the relevant specialist, and signed by the person-in-charged of Lynas and MOSTI respectively? YB you are a professional accountant and you should be very clear, that verbal promises is not reliable except BLACK AND WHITE with certification.
By the way, i have a doubt, the raw material of lanthanoid is from Mt. Weld, Australia and it will be brought to Kuantan for processing. One big question, why they have to set up the processing plant in Kuantan while the raw material is in Australia. This is totally strange, and doesn't make sense, as it might increase the transportation cost, import/export taxes and etc. Any explanation from Lynas Corp? Land constraint? I doubt, as australia is much bigger than Malaysia. Cost saving? I doubt too, as what i mentioned above. Or, it shows that the processing plant is health-hazardous, i presum
ed? So, many many questions that Lynas and MOSTI have to answer before the plant is even finalized to be set up.
--TO BE CONTINUED
--CONTINUE
Here in Kuantan we have this Lanthanoid issue, whereas Kampung Bukit Koman, Raub (kampung where my grandfather from) have to face the issue of arsenic. In Raub, the Ahli Parlimen of Raub proudly announced through media that the golden processing plant (by using arsenic) in bukit koman raub is not health-hazardous, though the plant is merely few METERS (please bare in mind, METERS, not KILOMETERS) away from the kampung. But on the other hand, when she visited the golden processing plant, she seems like avoiding the people from the village by entering / leaving the plant through the back door, while the village people was waiting on the front door, to hand the memorandum to her. What is that means? Playing hide and find? Ignoring the voice from the people who voted her? Or maybe she has her own reason to walk through back door which we couldn't understand. But for me, if she was purposely avoiding the village people, then it is a shame, and betrayal on the people who trusted her during the General Election. YB, you are a highly educated and honorable man, and i believe this will not happen on you. And i kindly beg you to seek the answer for the questions in our mind, to wipe off all of our worries and doubts.
Dear YB, this is dead-and-life matter, and it has a great impact to us, inclusive you, me and our children. Hence, I think it is our right to question on all these things and i hope i did not offense you. And i hope that the decision to be made in this matter is absolutely 对得起自己的良知，对得起我们的下一代，别让自己遗臭万年, i always believe GOD is watching us from the heaven above, and thee shall judge us accordingly to our action on the judgment day.
Again, thousand apologies i would like to say, if i did offense you. Thank you.
--CONTINUE
By the way, i have a doubt, the raw material of lanthanoid is from Mt. Weld, Australia and it will be brought to Kuantan for processing. One big question, why they have to set up the processing plant in Kuantan while the raw material is in Australia. This is totally strange, and doesn't make sense, as it might increase the transportation cost, import/export taxes and etc. Any explanation from Lynas Corp? Land constraint? I doubt, as australia is much bigger than Malaysia. Cost saving? I doubt too, as what i mentioned above. Or, it shows that the processing plant is health-hazardous, i presumed? So, many many questions that Lynas and MOSTI have to answer before the plant is even finalized to be set up.
Here in Kuantan we have this Lanthanoid issue, whereas Kampung Bukit Koman, Raub (kampung where my grandfather from) have to face the issue of arsenic. In Raub, the Ahli Parlimen of Raub proudly announced through media that the golden processing plant (by using arsenic) in bukit koman raub is not health-hazardous, though the plant is merely few METERS (please bare in mind, METERS, not KILOMETERS) away from the kampung. But on the other hand, when she visited the golden processing plant, she seems like avoiding the people from the village by entering / leaving the plant through the back door, while the village people was waiting on the front door, to hand the memorandum to her. What is that means? Playing hide and find? Ignoring the voice from the people who voted her? Or maybe she has her own reason to walk through back door which we couldn't understand. But for me, if she was purposely avoiding the village people, then it is a shame, and betrayal on the people who trusted her during the General Election. YB, you are a highly educated and honorable man, and i believe this will not happen on you. And i kindly beg you to seek the answer for the questions in our mind, to wipe off all of our worries and doubts.
Dear YB, this is dead-and-life matter, and it has a great impact to us, inclusive you, me and our children. Hence, I think it is our right to question on all these things and i hope i did not offense you. And i hope that the decision to be made in this matter is absolutely 对得起自己的良知，对得起我们的下一代，别让自己遗臭万年, i always believe GOD is watching us from the heaven above, and thee shall judge us accordingly to our action on the judgment day.
Again, thousand apologies i would like to say, if i did offense you. Thank you.
Dear Kuantanpeople,
Your comment is not an offensive comment as it is commented constructively based on a subject. I hereby thank you for your invaluable sharing on the issue.
First of all, thank you for you kind understanding that in fact there are many retrictions to what a state assembly man could do on this matter. However, as part of the efforts to assist in clearing doubts and raising questions to the relevent authorities, we have arranged an interactive platform for all concerned parties on 23 July 2009 as reported in my blog, titled "Sasi Taklimat Project Lynas Malaysia" dated 24 July 2009.
This platform was intentionally set up to allow problems to be ironed out before implementation. Those present were all relevent authorities including Lynas Corporation and all the relevent experts and government departments as well as complainants.
I wish to refer you to this blog.
If YB Dato' really gurantee the safety of the Plant, to walk the talk, all of the MP agreed on the project should stay in the vicinity to prove that it is not hazardous
Hi,
Studies of thorium workers have shown that breathing thorium dust may cause an increased chance of developing lung disease and cancer of the lung or pancreas many years after being exposed. Changes in the genetic material of body cells have also been shown to occur in workers who breathed thorium dust. Liver diseases and effects on the blood have been found in people injected with thorium in order to take special X-rays.
Many types of cancer have also been shown to occur in these people many years after thorium was injected into their bodies. Since thorium is radioactive and may be stored in bone for a long time, bone cancer is also a potential concern for people exposed to thorium.
Animal studies have shown that breathing in thorium may result in lung damage. Other studies in animals suggest drinking massive amounts of thorium can cause death from metal poisoning. The presence of large amounts of thorium in your environment could result in exposure to more hazardous radioactive decay products of thorium, such as radium and thoron, which is an isotope of radon.
What is your opinion to this article ? Did you really do a thorough research on this rare earth processing before approve on this project or you just based on feedback from the company ?
Can you give 100% guarantee that there is no radiation expose to the air or the the sea from this company ?
Bear in mind that there's a fishing industry in Kuantan.
Look at what happened in Japan. The radiation level in milk, vegetables, sea water and etc are very high.
Are you going to take 100% accountabililty since you have approved this project, if there's any radiation happen in Kuantan and people here suffered leukemia and other deseases.
I am not sure whether you are staying in Kuantan, if yes are you going to let this happened to your family.
Please don't be ignorant and take people's life for granted. If this really happened in Kuantan, I am sure you will not have peace of mind for your decision that cause so many people lives in danger.
Even Mahathir also mentioned about the bad experience Malaysia had in nuclear radiation.
as an assemblyman for kuantan people of you should protest or disagree to this hazardous project build in Malaysia.you went for the explanation trip about the rare earth in Australia but finally said you are not convenience to give explanation in technical basis,that's impossible !!come on what for you were attending all these!
I doubt environmental assessment has been done on this project. If so, where can I read the report ? Based on geological view, the area has very high hydrological vulnerability and sensitivity as there's a fishing village within 10km. And from engineering point of view, waste disposal to environment is very common, no matter how good u handle it. And pls don't give excuse that you will ensure no leaks etc. I have a similar profession and I know how it works. And let me ask u 1 final question, are u or those who permit this responsible when something really do happen ? Or u jus walkaway with ur eyes close.
Post a Comment