Dissolve Malaysian Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB)

Latest news reported by the Star dated 12/Dec/2012 on statements by Malaysian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) on Produce with low radiation not hazardous: see link here and the New Straits Times dated same on statement by MOSTI of "Up to Lynas to export residue or not" as per link here.

MOSTI and AELB the authorised regulator or Lynas, who does not comply to its own Letter of Undertaking as per link http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151199074983515&set=a.38177198514.48423.766508514&type=1&theater

The concerned citizens of Malaysia make a petition to dissolve AELB. Another board of professional radiation regulators should be formed. Representatives from both the ruling party and opposition should sit on the select committee.

We cast a vote of non-confidence on the present AELB because of its notorious track record of acting as if it were above the law. On the 6 Feb 1987, disregarding the Malaysian Ipoh High Court injunction to Asian Rare Earth (ARE) to stop operations, AELB granted a licence to ARE to operations.The then executive secretary, Kasbun Kamat, denied that the issuance of the licence had violated the High Court injuction, "They are 2 different matters. The injuction concerns the plantiffs, the Bukit Merah residents, and the respondent, ARE. We are not involved." (ref. link http://www.consumer.org.my/index.php/health/454-chronology-of-events-in-the-bukit-merah-asian-rare-earth-developments).

We are terrified that the present AELB may continue this arbitrary, high-handed tradition of granting unilateral licences to controversial projects.

We cast a vote of non-confidence on the present AELB because its director-general Raja Datuk Aziz Raja Adnan seems to be suffering from a severe attack of forgetfulness. On 8th September 2012, he was reported telling Straits Times reporters (ref. link http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/lynas-plant-to-conduct-test-run-1.139909) that "Lynas commitment to ship out all of its waste from its rare earth processing plant is non-binding to its TOL. It was never a condition of the licence. When Lynas made the commitment, we took note of the commitment and the board decided to issue the licence," Aziz said. Asked why AELB only relied on Lynas’ unilateral commitment with–out putting it in black and white, he explained that the agency was limited by laws and regulations.

However, on 9th September 2012, he was reported telling Straits Times reporters (ref. link http://www.nst.com.my/top-news/tol-for-lamp-much-awaited-1.140790) that claims that the removal of residue was non-binding for Lynas should not arise as it was legally binding and AELB would enforce.

Members of such an important regulatory body which oversees the biggest rare earth plant in the world should not befogg an other-wise straight foward environmental issue with contradictory statements.

Despite on-going legal proceeding at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya Malaysia (ref. link http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/bid-to-revoke-lynas-licence-fails-1.141951) and Kuantan High Court (ref. link http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/lynas-to-start-operations-1.168948), Lynas has shipped in 100 containers of rare earth concentrates to Malaysian Kuantan Port on 21/November/2012 and transported lorry loads of the rare earth concentrates between 2am to 6am of 22/November/2012 under close escorts of local police petrols. (ref. link http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20121122104730/Article/index_html).