'Pariah' term not directed at anyone, says Mahathir

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who recently drew flak for using the term 'pariah' to defend Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd's rare earth refinery, maintains that it was not directed at anyone.

"I didn't direct it at anybody. Who was I referring to? I have forgotten about this," he said when asked about Kapar PKR members lodging a report against his usage of the term.

"The Lynas issue will be resolved by the cabinet in six months," he added.

Mahathir was speaking at a press conference after chairing the Bersatu supreme council meeting today.

On Monday, Mahathir said Putrajaya could not treat Lynas like an outcast for fear of spooking other foreign investors.

"If we treat Lynas like a pariah and ask them to leave the country, we will not get other people to come to this country to invest," he said.

Mahathir said this when dismissing speculation that Lynas was allowed to continue operating its plant in Gebeng to further Japanese interests.

The anti-Lynas lobby, including Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh, has repeatedly alleged that Malaysia is playing a role ensuring the supply of rare earth to Japan in exchange for cheap loans.

Lynas has a loan agreement with Japan Australia Rare Earths BV (Jare) and supplies Japanese customers.

Putrajaya recently extended the operating licence for Lynas' refinery by six months, and instructed the company to set up a permanent disposal facility for its radioactive water leach purification (WLP) waste.

Under the terms of the renewal, Lynas also has to shift the cracking and leaching phase of its operations overseas within four years, and terminate efforts to commercialise its radioactive waste.

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