Rafizi Spills Tea On Why PH Is Now Team Lynas

Deputy President of PKR, Rafizi Ramli, explains the government’s shift in stance on Australian rare earth miner Lynas, citing potential economic benefits for Malaysia.

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Pakatan Harapan (PH) has defended its decision to allow Australian rare earth miner Lynas Corporation to continue operations in the country, marking a significant shift from its previous opposition stance.

Rafizi Ramli, deputy president of PKR, a key component of PH, explained the change in position during a recent podcast.

He mentioned that Malaysia used to be just a dumping ground with very little value added.

“We’re now looking at how to ensure Malaysia gets a fair return,” Rafizi added.

Pre-PH Era: Lack of Mineral Mapping and Economic Strategy

Rafizi also stated that before PH came to power, mineral mapping was not used to assess rare earth potential or demand.

The coalition’s primary concern was importing potentially hazardous minerals for processing, with waste by-products remaining in Malaysia.

PH leaders, led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, then leader of the opposition, attended and addressed the 2012 Himpunan Hijau 2.0 rally in Kuantan, which was attended by an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

However, since taking office, the government has focused on maximising economic benefits while conducting proper mineral mapping.

Rafizi made the comments during an episode of the podcast ‘Yang Bakar Menteri‘, in response to Eric See-To, the individual behind the controversial blog ‘Lim Sian See’.

License Renewal: Lynas Secures Operations Until 2026

The government’s stance has evolved significantly since 2019 when, despite controversy, PH allowed Lynas to continue operations.

The company’s license was renewed again in October last year, permitting rare earth imports and processing until March 2026, subject to strict radioactive waste management conditions.

Lynas is required to keep the radioactive thorium levels in its waste residue below a specified limit.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang announced in June that Lynas’s permanent disposal facility is expected to be completed by year-end.

The facility has a capacity of 1.6 million metric tons and currently holds 1.2 million metric tons of waste.

Malaysians from all walks of life attended the Himpunan Hijau 2.0 rally, aimed at raising awareness and protesting against the potential environmental impacts of the Lynas rare earth processing plant. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

A Decade of Controversy: Lynas in Malaysia

Lynas has been a contentious issue in Malaysian politics for over a decade.

The company began operations in Gebeng, Pahang, in 2012, but it faced strong opposition from environmental groups and local communities concerned about radioactive waste management.

The controversy surrounding Lynas also evoked painful memories of the Bukit Merah tragedy, where a rare earth processing plant in Perak in the 1980s led to severe environmental contamination and health issues among local residents.

An environmental activist, wearing a mock radiation protection suite, stood outside the Asian Rare Earth (ARE) permanent disposal storage near Papan, Perak. Both ARE and Lynas faced scrutiny over their handling of rare earth materials and radioactive waste. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

During former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration, PH, then in opposition, vehemently criticised Lynas’s presence, promising to shut down the plant if elected.

This stance was a key campaign issue in the 2018 general election.

However, after coming to power, PH faced criticism for backtracking this promise.

PH bantah sebab tidak mahu sisa-sisa dibuang di Malaysia tetapi PH juga yang letak syarat bagi Lynas bina PDF untuk simpan sisa-sisa di Malaysia buat selamanya?

Lepas itu dia tak ulas lagi.
— Naratif Rakyat 🇲🇾 (@NaratifRakyat) October 1, 2024

Environmental Politics: Lynas Issue Shapes Electoral Outcomes

The Lynas issue played a significant role in the defeat of Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, the president of MCA, during the 2018 Malaysian general election.

In a significant upset, his opponent Wong Tack, an environmentalist contesting on DAP’s ticket, won by a margin of 2,032 votes, ending Liow’s nearly two-decade hold on the Bentong parliamentary seat.

This event marked a pivotal moment in Malaysian politics, highlighting the growing importance of environmental issues and the public’s dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the Lynas controversy.

Rapper and singer-songwriter Namewee also joined in and released a controversial song criticizing Lynas.

Lynas dah tutup belum?

Malaysia dah selamat dari ancaman mutant?

Ataupun dia dah kebal dari radiasi nuklear selepas DAP berjaya merampas kuasa?

Dulu kerajaan BN kata Lynas selamat, DAP bantah.

Sekarang kerajaan PH sendiri akui Lynas selamat dan boleh diteruskan. pic.twitter.com/6t0A2lAS8S
— Mohd Najib Tun Razak (@NajibRazak) February 27, 2019