lynas monitoring committee announced

This highly credible committee a chairman who have provided important input in setting up the criterion will help depoliticise the monitoring process. This important step is also an acknowledgement that LAMP is here to stay provided it delivers on its safety promises whoever is in govt after GE13.

PETALING JAYA: Members of the panel to monitor the Lynas rare earth plant has been named by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti).

The operations monitoring committee chairman is Malaysian Institute of Chemistry president Datuk Dr Soon Ting Kueh.

Mosti secretary-general Datuk Dr Madinah Mohamad said the committee would monitor Lynas’ compliance with the conditions imposed on its licence, as well as the safety of its workers, the public and environment.

“Other committee members comprise representatives from related government agencies, non-governmental organisations as well as relevant experts.

“The committee will act as an advisory and monitoring body,” she said in a statement yesterday, adding that the formation of the committee was one of 31 recommendations given by the Parliamentary Select Committee on the project.

She also announced that one of the committee’s members, Universiti Malaysia Pahang deputy vice-chancellor (academic and international) Prof Datuk Dr Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz, would be the official spokesman for the project.

Prof Badhrulhisham earned his chemical engineering bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate qualifications from Colorado State Uni­versity, University of Wales (Swansea) and Kyoto University respectively.

“The ministry has appointed him in view of his capacity as an expert in the field of chemical engineering and his vast experience in rare earth management,” she said, adding that he specialised in the area of chemical processes/plants and wastewater treatment plants.

Dr Madinah said Prof Badhrulhisham also chaired the university’s Rare Earth Research Work committee and had been involved in providing technical information to the PSC on Lynas.