Protests as nuke panel meets reps

The New Straits Times 
by M. Hamzah Jamaludin and Fatin Farhana Haris

KUANTAN: A series of meetings between the nuclear expert panel and representatives from various parties at a hotel here proceeded smoothly yesterday despite demonstrations and a scuffle between supporters and opposers of the Lynas Corporation rare earth processing plant in Gebeng.

Members of the expert panel met representatives from five residents associations and Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers, apart from Kuantan MCA chief Datuk Ti Lian Ker and Kuantan member of parliament Fuziah Salleh, at 2.30pm.

The team is here at the invitation of the Malaysian government and they will investigate the health and safety aspects of the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) in Gebeng.

The panel consists of nine professionals of various disciplines.

Four of them are from Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) while the others are consultants from member countries.

Panel leader Dr Tero Varjoranta said they would review the radiation safety aspects at LAMP in relation to relevant international radiation safety standards and good practices.

"The team will provide an independent expert opinion to the Malaysian government," he said in a statement issued by the International Trade and Industry Ministry.

Varjoranta said the mission was technical in nature and their work would focus on gathering information and receiving submissions from interested parties and members of the public.

He also said that it was the standard practice of IAEA missions to obtain information from closed door sessions and not in a town hall-type of meeting.

The expert panel will also visit the controversial plant.

The construction of the plant has been suspended pending the review.

They will also hold similar sessions in Putrajaya and submit their findings and recommendations to the Malaysian government by the end of next month.

The RM700 million Australian project has raised public concern about radiation exposure and its effect on health, safety and the environment.

After meeting the panel, Ti told reporters that he was satisfied with the 30-minute session as he was able to raise the people's concerns.

"The panel members also explained to me that IAEA is a regulatory agency and not a decision-making body or a promoter of nuclear technology," said Ti who is also representing the residents of Kubang Buaya here.

Ti hoped that the people would wait for the panel's report and stop holding demonstrations as it could lead to violent outbursts.

Fuziah, however, said that she was not satisfied with the composition of the panel as they did not include experts from other fields including public health specialists.

"I hope the panel will make its recommendations based on conscience by putting the lives of 700,000 people first, before profits," said Fuziah.

Kuantan district police chief Assistant Commissioner of Police Jasmani Yusoff said there were no untoward incidents although more than 200 people had held two demonstrations at 8am and 1pm.