The Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) had “blatantly deceived the public” by putting up contradictory information on its official website about the procedural requirements concerning Lynas Sdn Bhd, said anti-Lynas group Save Malaysia Stop Lynas (SMSL).

In a statement today, SMSL spokesperson Ismail Abu Bakar said AELB through the frequently-asked questions (FAQ) on its website had stated that after the issuance of a temporary operating licence (TOL), “Lynas still has to provide details of a proposed Permanent Disposal Facility (PDF) which will then be subject to a separate licence application and approval.”

 

The same webpage also stated that “after issuance of the TOL, Lynas needs to apply for a permit to import the concentrated ores”.

NONE The statements apparently contradicted the affidavit by AELB director-general Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan ( right ) to the Kuala Lumpur High court recently, in which he conceded that a Class E licence for importing raw materials and a Class G licence for the storage of residues had already been approved to the Lynas Advance Materials Plant (Lamp) in Gebeng, Pahang.

The licences were approved on the top of a TOL issued by the AELB on 30th January 2012.

“How could a licence for the storage of residues be approved when Lynas’ proposed waste disposal plan is unsafe and a permanent waste disposal facility for its radioactive waste has not even been found?” asked another SMSL spokesperson, Tan Bun Teet, in the same statement.

“How can we trust the AELB as a regulator and a nuclear watchdog when it has not come clean with such basic information?” he added.

Ismail, meanwhile, branded the AELB as having “failed in its duty or care”, which he said was the reason why residents and NGOs have thrown their weight behind SMSL and the opposition parties to stop the Lynas project.

He said the group will pursue legal avenues in Malaysia and Australia to stop Lynas. He also appealed to well-wishers to donate generously to the legal fund.