Still facing resistance over the rare earth processing plant in Gebeng, the government today announced that a global regulatory body is in Malaysia to give an independent review. 

Global regulatory body International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s four day visit is part of a "post-review mission" following their first visit to the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp) in 2011.

The visit from Oct 13-17 is to ensure that Lamp is implementing the recommendations made by IAEA on their first visit in 2011.

The inspection will also look at "radiation safety, waste management and environmental aspects in accordance with international safety standards and good practices".

In a statement issued by four ministries, the government said that the visit follows a request by the Malaysian delegation to IAEA on Aug 26 and 27.

The IAEA delegation is led by nuclear fuel cycle and waste technology expert Juan Carlos Lentijo and consists of experts in the fields of medical emergency preparedness, radiation and environmental protection.  

The statement was issued the International Trade and Investment Ministry, Health Ministry, Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Anti-Lamp activists claim that the plant should not be awarded a licence as it does not have a proper disposal facility. Lynas says they are exporting the waste.

The Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) on Sep 2 confirmed that it has agreed to grant the controversial plant a Full Operating State Licence.

 

The activists also fear a repeat of the Bukit Merah Asian Rare Earth plant disaster, reported to have caused higher than normal rates of childhood cancer and birth deformities in the community.

Shut down following a decade of public protests in 1994, the decommissioning and decontamination exercise only started in 2003 and 2005.