MEDIA STATEMENT
24 April 2021
Four months before the decision on Lynas’ licence renewal, Tun Mahathir said Scott Morrison hopes that restrictions on Lynas will be dropped. He was reported to have said this after his bilateral meeting with the Australian Prime Minister on the sidelines of the 35th Asean Summit.
Two days ago, the Australian High Commissioner, Andrew Goledzinowski denied Australia had made such a request.
Mr Goledzinowski, are you implying that Mahathir lied?
In the same media report, Mahathir was quoted to have also said : “Of course, Lynas wishes to invest more in Malaysia and these are big investments running into billions”.
Did Australia use investment to entice or threaten Malaysia into extending Lynas’ licence? Did Australia use money to force Malaysia to accept Lynas’ toxic radioactive wastes which will ultimately put our people’s health at risk in perpetuity?
Goledzinowski was reported to have claimed that all Australia asked was for regulatory decision on Lynas by the Malaysian government to be based on ‘scientific evidence’.
Since Lynas began operation, they have piled up close to a billion kilograms of toxic radioactive wastes at their backyard, and now, proposed to site their radioactive waste dump on a water catchment area for more than 700,000 households.
Is this based on scientific recommendation, Mr. Goledzinowski?
Would the Australian government allow Lynas to do the same in Australia?
Goledzinowski has tried to create a false impression that Lynas wastes is ‘safe’.
If Lynas’ wastes is ‘safe’, then why the need to spend hundreds of millions to bury it? Why the need to put it under institutional control for 300 years? Why don’t they just dump it into the South China Sea which is just next to Lynas?
I would strongly urged Mr Goledzinowski to stop manipulating facts and covering the truth.
Even the good citizens of Australia, including MPs and NGOs have stood with the Malaysian people to condemn the conduct of Lynas.
As a diplomat, Goledzinowski should conduct himself with professionalism and integrity, instead of spewing half-truths repeatedly to protect the interest of a corporation like Lynas who profits at the expense of the people’s wellbeing.
WONG TACK
Bentong MP