Semambu assemblyman lodges MACC report alleging abuse of power of Lynas waste storage

KUANTAN: A report has been lodged with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) alleging abuse of power by the Environment Department (DoE) in approving Lynas' waste storage.

Semambu assemblyman Lee Chean Chung said based on the regulations, scheduled wastes on site were not allowed to exceed 20 tonnes and 180 days of storage.

"But what we see now is Lynas has stored 1.113 million tonnes of neutralisation underflow (NUF) on site, which is more than 50,000 times the regulated amount," he said at the Pahang MACC headquarters here Monday (June 24).

Lee said although the DoE director-general could grant permission for storage of scheduled waste above 20 tonnes, regulations did not allow anyone to permit storage for more than 180 days.

"The NUF at Lynas has been stored there for years. I have written to the DoE but there has been no response so far.

"There is some doubt in this whole thing. I hope the MACC can investigate this," he said.

When asked whether he suspected elements of corruption in the DoE, Lee said he was not making any assumptions.

"The MACC does not only investigate corruption but abuse of power as well. I have done my best trying to communicate with the DoE but now I need to go to the MACC to seek justice," he said.