The Lynas Advanced Materials Plant in Gebeng, Kuantan.
KUANTAN: Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Lynas) has denied that the death of three employees were linked to the operation of the rare earth plant in Gebeng, near here.
Its managing director, Datuk Mashal Ahmad, said the deaths were due to failing health and a road accident.
The first death involved a prospective employee who died of heart failure during the interview process, he said.
"In November, an employee died following a road accident on the way to work while one of our engineers who died earlier this month suffered a heart attack and fell into a retention pond.
"During the incident, the victim was doing his daily routine of taking water samples for testing before falling unconscious from a heart attack," he told reporters after presenting school uniforms to 200 students at the Lynas plant.
Mashal said that Lynas would not hesitate to take stern action, including legal action, against any party who spread lies about the plant.
"Their attitude made things difficult for us and the action of this group who continue to spread lies shows their malicious intention.
"Give Lynas a chance to concentrate on the plant's operation rather than entertaining baseless accusations."
Mashal said that accusations by certain quarters about flooding at the plant earlier this month was untrue and sheer nonsense.
This was because the plant was built after taking into account various factors, including flooding and other natural disasters.
"The plant was built after we conducted a study on the flood water level over the last 100 years ago. After collecting the data, only then we built the plant and the rare earth processing plant.
"Moreover, this plant is about 9 metres from the water source. Thus, we can assure you that floods will not affect its operation," he added. - Bernama
-- BERNAMA
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