A group of local residents have applied for a judicial review to challenge the Atomic Energy Licensing Board's (AELB) decision to issue Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd a temporary licence for the Lynas Advanced Material Plant in Gebeng, Pahang.

The application was filed by the group of 10 residents at the Court of Appeal (special powers division) registrar on Feb 17 through Messrs Kanesalingam & Co, a copy of which was obtained today.

They named the board, which oversees the production, application and use of atomic energy and radioactive material, director-general of environment quality and Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd as respondents.

They sought a certiorari order to reverse the board's Jan 30 decision to issue the temporary licence to Lynas Malaysia.

The group also applied for an injunction to prohibit the board from issuing any temporary or permanent licence to Lynas except or until the company presented a detailed evaluation report on the plant's effects towards the environment to the director-general of environment quality and until the said report was approved.

They claimed that the decision contravened Article 5(1) of the federal constitution and that the board had failed to allow the appellants a chance to make a representation on the safety of the plant.

The appellants further sought for the suspension of the temporary licence and for Lynas Malaysia, its agents or workers to be prohibited from operating the plant until a decision was reached on the judicial review application.

- Bernama