Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), has been given the role of conducting research on data obtained through the Aerosol Monitoring System (AMS) installed in the area to monitor the activity of the Lynas rare earth plant.

Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Abu Bakar Mohamad Diah said the two units were currently placed in the compound of the Kuantan District Police Headquarters (IPD) and the plant site would be monitored and operated by UMP.

"The Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) sees UMP playing an important role to ensure that data obtained from the AMS is free because it is a public institution of higher learning.

"In addition, the data collected by UMP will be analysed and the results obtained will be used together with the AELB for radiation regulatory purposes," he said at a press conference after witnessing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UMP and AELB at the Sultan Ahmad Shah International Convention Centre, at Kuantan yesterday.

Present were the chairman of the AELB Sukiman Sarmani, AELB director-general Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan and UMP vice-chancellor Daing Nasir Ibrahim.

Abu Bakar said, the MoU will strengthen and enhance public confidence in the data obtained by AMS to monitor radiation levels in the environment from Lynas' activities.

- Bernama