KUALA LUMPUR – The government is not shutting down Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd’s operations, but the company will not be allowed to carry out “cracking and leaching” activities in the country after December 31, said the science, technology, and innovation minister.
Chang Lih Kang said the decision to grant a six-month extension for the factory to carry out cracking and leaching is to avoid affecting the global rare-earth supply chain.
Besides, the extension is also to give Lynas time to complete construction of the company’s cracking and leaching plant in Australia.
“Their plant in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia is almost ready and the extension of this period takes into account if they cannot complete (the plant) before July,” he told reporters after the closing ceremony of the NGO@Makerthon Programme at the Muhibbah Community Complex, here today.
Previously, Chang’s ministry announced that Lynas’ appeal against dropping four licensing conditions set by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board was rejected after a hearing on April 28 on the appeal.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim confirmed that the government had given Lynas a six-month extension to allow the company to meet the licensing requirements to operate in the country.
Regarding the NGO@Makerthon programme, Chang said it aims to help improve the socio-economic status of 20 People’s Housing Project communities by continuously empowering science, technology, innovation, and economy knowledge among them. – Bernama, May 9, 2023
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