The Pahang Bar Council today denied making any false accusation against Australian mining giant Lynas Corporation or stating that its application to set up a rare earth plant in Western Australia was rejected.

Pahang Bar Council chairperson Hon Kai Ping said his statement on the issue was "misinterpreted" by an online news portal, and that he had never said Lynas had failed to get approval to set up a plant in Western Australia.

"In my original statement, I never said the project was a Lynas project. I made it clear that we are not certain whether that was a Lynas project," he said when contacted today.

NONE In the statement, issued last Tuesday, Hon said the Pahang Bar came across the minutes of a Nov 23, 2005, meeting of the Council of the Shire of Northam recommending that the council "vigorously opposes the siting of a hazardous waste disposal and treatment plant at the Avon Industrial Park".

The statement went on to cite more excerpts from the minutes, which said such a facility would run counter to "a lot of the work" by the council in promoting Northam, along with other councils in Avon Valley, as a "clean and green tourism and lifestyle experience".

"Pahang Bar is not certain, but this may or may not throw some light as to why the proposal was not proceeded with despite all the convenience of distance as there is a highway running from Mount Weld, Laverton, to the town of Northam, with no necessity of shipping the ore overseas," the statement said.

News portal named Lynas in report

However, a news portal reported the statement as saying that the Northam council was "vigorously" opposed to plans by Lynas to build a rare earth refinery there, forcing the company to ship its ore to Malaysia for processing.

Lynas the same day issued a statement on its Facebook page condemning the "false allegation" against the "values and ethics of the board and management of Lynas Corporation" and the "false accusations" against its Advanced Materials Plant in Gebeng, Pahang ( above, right ).

The company said it has "absolutely no interest" and was "not connected whatsoever" with the proposed hazardous waste disposal and treatment site in Avon Valley, adding that the minutes of the Northam council meeting had in no way mentioned Lynas.

Lynas took to task both the Pahang Bar Council and the news portal for drawing on and reporting "such misleading and incorrect conclusions".

It also maintained its position that its advanced materials plant had been given environmental approval in Western Australia, China and in Malaysia, and that "nothing has been hidden".

No halt to protests against Lynas

Meanwhile, DAP intends to push on with its planned anti-Lynas protest in Kuantan on Sunday, despite police warnings that stern action would be taken against troublemakers and that the event would be "closely monitored".

DAP Pahang state organising secretary Lee Chin Chen said the statement by Pahang police chief Saifuddin Abdul Ghani was "regrettable", but he pledged to press on with the protest.

"The job of the police is to ensure citizens' safety and maintain smooth traffic. It is very improper for the police to issue this kind of statement," Lee said when contacted.

He said the people wanted to join the protest in order to protect their health and defend their homes, as well as to express their views against the on-going project in Gebeng.

Among the activities scheduled during the protest are a human body art show and speeches by DAP youth chief Anthony Loke, Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching and local DAP leaders.

Lee said they would not apply for a police permit to hold the protest, as it will be held on the grounds outside the DAP Pahang headquarters.