Australian firm Lynas Corporation Ltd initiated legal proceedings by filing a defamation suit today against online news portal Free Malaysia Today (FMT) and the blog of non-governmental organisation Save Malaysia Stop Lynas (SMSL).

The legal proceedings follow false and misleading statements made in an article published by FMT, Lynas executive chairperson Nicholas Curtis said in a statement.

NONE "Lynas also commenced defamation proceedings in the same forum against SMSL, its directors and some members of its committee. These proceedings relate to false and misleading statements made in a recent open letter that was published on the Lynas blogsite.

"Lynas has and will engage legal representation to take action against people who publish defamatory statements or misinformation about Lynas or its operations," Curtis ( right ) said.

He reiterated that the company had conducted large public consultation programmes and communicated directly with more than 10,000 local residents, community leaders, villagers and the families since July 2011.

"We are now engaging in a conversation with the Malaysian community that will continue for the life of the plant, but we are concerned that these defamatory statements instil misplaced fear and anxiety in the general public about our safe operations.

"Lynas's operations will be safe and will comply with the environmental, health and safety standards stipulated by the laws of Malaysia and audited by the International Atomic

Energy Agency (IAEA). These laws reflect or exceed international standards," Curtis said.

This is the first legal action taken by the Australian firm against detractors of the project.

Judicial review dismissed

On April 12, the Kuala Lumpur High Court dismissed a judicial review application filed by 10 Kuantan residents to challenge the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) for awarding a temporary operating licence to the the Lynas plant in Gebeng.

Justice Rosilah Yop declared the residents' application for judicial review "premature" as there was an appeal pending before the science, technology and tnnovation Minister scheduled to be heard on April 17.

NONE She also cited that a parliament select committee (PSC) was formed on March 23 to investigate the safety standards of the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp) and that AELB has suspended the plant's temporary operating licence (TOL) until all the contentious issues are disposed of.

Commenting the Aug 12 decision then, Curtis said there was a "concerted political campaign, which is based on misinformation, sabotaging the science-based regulatory process" established in Malaysia and confidence in that process.

"Since the project was first approved in 2007, Lynas plant has been subjected to the highest degree of scrutiny and public comment. It has been reviewed and received approval from both the IAEA and the Malaysian AELB and every safety box has been ticked," Curtis had said.

On April 17, the Kuantan residents mounted protests when the appeal was heard by minister Maximus Ongkili. However, no decision was made that day.