[UPDATED] Lynas’ appeal still under consideration: Mosti

KUALA LUMPUR – The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti) has received a letter of appeal from Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Lynas) to drop the conditions of its operating licence in Malaysia and that it was currently being considered.

Its minister, Chang Lih Kang said this during the wind-up of the debate for the motion of thanks on the royal address at the Dewan Rakyat today, adding that the government had not shut down Lynas, but did not allow its application to drop the conditions set in 2020.

Lynas’ human resource, admin and organisational development general manager, Jumaat Mansor, has said the decision to ban the company from producing additional radioactive waste after July 2023 would impact the company’s operations and might cause almost 2,000 employees to lose their jobs.

“Lynas has been operating for over 10 years, after this decision is implemented, workers, including local youth, would lose their means to support their families.

“We always wait for the opportunity to negotiate with the government at whatever time possible so that a better result can be achieved,” he said when met by reporters after holding a peaceful gathering at Balok, here today, which was attended by over 800 Lynas employees.

The Atomic Energy Licensing Board previously rejected Lynas’ application to drop four license terms relating to the Water Leach Purification residue after 2023, cracking and leaching activities at the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant and the importation of lanthanide concentrate from Australia.

The decision meant that Lynas would not produce additional radioactive waste after July 2023. 

Meanwhile, Chang said that under Cradle Fund, the implementing agency of the Malaysia Startup Ecosystem Roadmap 2021-2030, 5,750 startups and individuals had benefited from its programmes from November 2021.

He said the startups also benefited from the Malaysia Commercialisation Year (MYC) initiative, a programme to boost research, development and innovation of various parties as wealth generators through commercialisation activities.

He said the initiative is currently in Phase 3.0 MCY Goes Global, aimed to expand the markets for local products, technologies and R&D services to an international level. – Bernama, February 23, 2023