KUANTAN: Has Lynas Corporation jumped the gun in announcing Bukit Ketam near here as the chosen site to build a permanent disposal facility (PDF) for its water leach purification (WLP) residue?
That was the concern raised by Kuantan member of parliament Fuziah Salleh, who appeared puzzled over matter and said the Pahang government should have made the “decisive” announcement on the selected site and to date, it has yet to do so.
“It is important for the state government to take full responsibility and lead when it comes to announcing the site to the public.
“I do not think it is proper for a corporation to speak on behalf (of state government) when the respective state government has yet to mention anything.
“The move by the state government to remain silent could cause uneasiness among the people here. Since the state government is responsible to identify the land, has the state government decided on the PDF site?
“It is their role to assure to make the public feel secure and confident with the latest developments,” she told reporters after attending the Kuantan parliamentary constituency’s Chinese New Year celebration here today.
Fuziah, who is also a deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, questioned if Lynas’s move to announce the PDF site was to ease the fear of shareholders as they only had six months to identify the site since August last year.
She also reminded Lynas that a Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) study is required before approval.
“A DEIA is required as various aspects has to be looked into and studied, those concerned has to be informed and consulted as it covers various aspects including economy, health and public impact.
“All of the stakeholders have to be consulted. Even the Department of Environment has a role to play. My concern is Bukit Ketam serves as a water catchment area for Sungai Kuantan which is located near Sungai Riau.
“The source of water treated and supplied for the people in Bukit Goh is from Sungai Riau, while the water intake point for the
Semambu treatment plant is located downstream at Sungai Kuantan.
“What happens if there is leakage (from the PDF)? We cannot take matters lightly as the river water can be contaminated. Bukit Ketam is the tallest peak in the area with Bukit Kuantan on one side, while the Terengganu border on the other side.”
On Jan 30, Lynas Corporation’s secretary Andrew Arnold, in a statement announced, that the Pahang government had issued its consent for Lynas to build a PDF site in the Bukit Ketam area here for its WLP residue.
He said Lynas Malaysia had appointed Gading Senggara Sdn Bhd (GSSB) as the contractor to manage the entire PDF project with an estimated total amount of US$98 million (RM400.7 million).
Last August, Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) said Lynas’ operation permit has been renewed for another six months and the plant must comply with three conditions imposed on them.
One of the conditions requires Lynas to identify a specific location to build a PDF and also obtain written permission from the state government involved to use the location.
On Nov 19 last year, Pahang Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Abdul Rahim Muda said the state government had received an application from Lynas on the potential PDF sites and is scrutinising the suitability of the locations proposed by the plant.