Lynas CEO Nick Curtis said "rare earths are not a bad product they are a good product." They enable our lives to go forward they are a product that enables cleaner society healthier society. They are good products. They can be done cleanly.
His assistant, Wee Tiat Eng, performed a live demonstration by reading the radiation levels of rare earth's residue and compared it to a banana.
MCA Chua Soi Lek supported the claim by saying that a person undergoing an X-ray exposes himself to 500 times the radiation found in the residue.
It is so simple, Nick. If it is really so good we really do not mind you bring it back to Australia and share it exclusively with your countrymen. Yes, we rather have banana trees than a rare earth plant. Is it so difficult to understand and accept?
Yes, the people of Kuantan and particularly Gebeng are suffering from mental trauma and stress over the plant. It is a serious mental issue which could affect their health, well-being and social life. Families may need to move away from the area fearing water contamination and long term exposure to the radiation, however low risk Lynas may claim.
Chua the doctor appears to be less sensitive to the fear of common people. How to compare with X-ray exposure? Some of us only conduct body check-up once a year and are exposed to X-ray for less than 2 seconds. Can it be compared to a 24 x 7 exposure to rare earth's residue?
If it is so safe as claimed by Nick, Wee and Chua then it makes no sense for the Australian government not to allow rare earth production in the country. It would be much more cost effective for the company to run the production on their turf than shipping them to be processed in Malaysia.
What is the point of forcing the plant on local residents of Kuantan and Gebeng? Lynas is obviously not welcomed by the local residents in the area.
What is MCA stand on Lynas? Chua Soi Lek should just make it LOUD and CLEAR. We will VOTE out MCA candidates if it is the official stand of the party to support a Lynas rare earth plant in Malaysia. This is a deserving reaction to a so-called 'People First' government.