Save our jobs, Lynas employees tell Putrajaya

A group of Lynas employees turned up at Parliament to urge the government to guarantee their job security.

The group of about 130 employees handed over a memorandum stating that the rare earth processing plant was safe, and had adhered to all recommendations by various authorities and enforcement agencies over the years.

"Today we are representing Lynas workers, not the management.

"We want justice and job security... we have supervisors, technicians, workers, all local workers," Lynas Malaysia human resources manager Jumaat Mansor told reporters.

As Jumaat (photo) pointed out, only three percent of Lynas Malaysia employees are Australians, with the rest of the workforce being local.

Putrajaya, he added, seemed to have skipped a step when requesting Lynas ship out water leached purification process residue (WLP) or waste from the country.

"The review was carried out and the committee said it (operations) was safe... only that if it (Lynas) fails to develop a permanent disposal facility, then waste has to be shipped out.

"So they (ministry) jumped over a step," he said, claiming that up to 600 permanent workers and 400 contract workers stood to lose their jobs should the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp) fail to have its licence renewed.

Last week, the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry stated that accumulated WLP residue, which contains radioactive materials, must be removed from Malaysia.

'Don't kill us'

The demonstration then took an emotional turn, as Lynas human resources vice-president Mimi Afzan said between tears that all parties should work together to turn Malaysia into a global rare earth processing hub.

Mimi also pleaded for trust and faith be placed in Lynas' Malaysian employees to adhere to safe operational protocols.

"I started working there (Lynas) in 2008, and I've been through this cycle (of review) three times now.

"I understand back in 2011 and 2012... people were sceptical of us as (knowledge of Lynas operations) was largely based on theory, but now we have been in operations for over seven years, we have provided scientific data, review committees have been coming out saying we are what we are, we have gone through every single thing, so why is this still happening?

"We are not asking for much, just that you base whatever decision on data and facts, and have trust in Malaysians (working at Lynas). Don't kill us, don't kill the technology that we are bringing," she told Malaysiakini.

"I have seven children, do you think I will jeopardise my children's health for money?" 

Mimi added, however, that she had faith in the executive committee tasked with reviewing Lamp's operations in Gebeng.

The group eventually handed over their memorandum to Adli Zakuan Zairakithnaini, the special officer of Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah. 

Saifuddin is also the MP for Indera Mahkota constituency in Pahang.

The group dispersed peacefully at 10am.

Permanent disposal

The executive committee is being led by Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh, who was appointed by Energy Minister Yeo Bee Yin in September.

It recommended that Lynas build a permanent disposal facility to house WLP residue, or ship it out of the country.

WLP residue is a solid waste containing naturally occurring radioactive materials (Norm) with a radioactivity of 6.2 Bq. 

It is regulated by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) in accordance with the Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984.

However, the Energy Ministry then stated that the WLP residue must be removed from Malaysia, as the government decided not to allow its unlimited accumulation for fear of long-term risks.

It said that Lynas must abide by certain prerequisites for future licenses or renewal approvals.

Lynas, in response, stated that all residue materials produced at the plant are stored in facilities which meet Malaysian as well as international requirements for permanent disposal facilities.

It stressed that export of its WLP residue out of the country would only be considered should a suitable facility not be developed or approved, in line with recommendations of the review committee.

Lamp’s temporary storage licence expires on Sept 2, 2019.