MCA: Fuziah shouldn’t chair Lynas panel

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Fuziah Salleh should not be appointed to chair the committee that will review the operations of Lynas Malaysia, said MCA publicity spokesman Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker.

Ti questioned the Kuantan member of parliament’s ability to be fair, neutral and objective considering she was against Lynas operations in the country for the past 10 years.

“Fuziah will be pressured to defend her dignity and accountability, the trust placed on her to keep her promise to stop Lynas operations as well as to ensure that the industrial waste (from Lynas operations) be sent back to Australia or another country over claims that the waste is toxic.

“If Fuziah does not keep her promise, she will be seen as a liar or someone who has confused the public over the alleged toxicity and radioactivity of Lynas’ (industrial waste).

“Therefore, her appointment as head of the committee raises questions. Any decision not in favour of Lynas will be considered biased.

“In this context, Fuziah should not be appointed to chair the committee so that any decision to close down Lynas will be considered a fair one.”

It was reported that Energy, Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin said Fuziah and Bentong member of parliament Wong Tack would head the committee that would look into the Lynas rare-earth processing operations.

Australia Lynas Corporation Ltd chief executive officer Amanda Lacaze responded to the news, saying she hoped the review would be fair, professional and based on scientific data.