Langat 2, Lynas and luckPosted on 30 October 2012 - 03:10amAzman...

Langat 2, Lynas and luck
Posted on 30 October 2012 - 03:10am
Azman Ujang
THE fate of two controversial multi-billion ringgit projects, whose names both begin with the letter "L" is hanging in the balance. While the Langat 2 plant to treat raw water from Pahang can't get started as the Selangor government has refused to grant it a development order, the Lynas rare earth plant in Pahang is ready but can't start firing up because of protests by residents who have taken the matter to court.

The High Court in Kuantan has kept on hold a licence granted to Lynas of Australia to operate the plant and is expected to decide on Nov 8 whether to consider judicial reviews aimed at blocking its production permanently.

Activists calling themselves the "Save Malaysia Stop Lynas" group want the court to suspend the licence until two judicial reviews challenging the government's decision allowing the plant to operate are heard. Both projects are hot political issues ahead of the general election and decisions made are bound to reverberate long after the votes are cast.

Like Lynas, it now seems unavoidable that the Langat 2 plant, in all probability, would also have to be decided in court although Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin again said last week he did not rule out the possibility of the project being carried out without the Selangor government's approval.

Rest of story here: http://www.thesundaily.my/news/528080