Wesfarmer's Lynas takeover: Anwar Ibrahim shows his hand

by Ganesh Sahathevan

Mr Anwar Ibrahim (left), who was pardoned and released from his five-year jail term for sodomy on May 16, said he had received two calls from ousted former premier Najib Razak on the night of the election.PHOTOS: REUTERS, AFP

This does seem like an unprecedented intervention by the Deputy Prime Minister, in  matters that are within the powers of the Prime Minister:

Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Yusof can comment on the Lynas issue because matters pertaining to investments fall under the purview of his ministry, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

"It's about pollution, but in terms of investment, it's under Redzuan," she said.

Dr Wan Azizah added that decisions made with regard to the Lynas issue must take into account factors such as investments and economic empowerment.

"We want investment and economic empowerment. However, on the other side, we are seeing pollution in our country, so they must address the waste issue," she told reporters when met at the Parliament lobby on Wednesday (April 3).

Dr Wan Azizah's remarks appeared to have contradicted her colleague Fuziah Salleh, who told Redzuan on Monday (April 1) to stop commenting on the Lynas issue because the matter does not fall under his ministry.

Fuziah, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department on Islamic Affairs, was quoted as saying that investment matters fall under the International Trade and Industry Ministry and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida).

She said the issue of Lynas' waste management falls under the purview of the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry, which is headed by Yeo Bee Yin.

Fuziah, also Kuantan MP, has been particularly vocal against Lynas and has repeatedly stressed that the radioactive waste should not be allowed to remain in Kuantan, as it was harmful to the environment and the people's health.

Redzuan caused a storm in Pakatan after he said the government would allow Lynas to continue operating in Malaysia.

He said that the Pakatan government was a business-friendly government, adding that Lynas' investment was "too big to ignore".

On Monday (April 1), Deputy Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis said the government wants to cooperate with the Australian government to ensure that waste from Lynas is sent back to where it came from.

Meanwhile, Redzuan's remarks also drew brickbats from the Parliamentary Caucus on Monitoring Lynas (JKPPL), which said it stands firmly behind Yeo's stance on the matter: that Lynas' water leach purification waste must be removed from Malaysia.

JKPPL is a loose body formed by several Pakatan lawmakers last December after the Parliament Select Committee announced that the formation of an official parliamentary caucus on monitoring Lynas was put on hold.

JKPPL is chaired by Bentong MP Wong Tack and comprises Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah, Kluang MP Wong Shu Qi, Hulu Langat MP Datuk Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus, among others.

Of course, this DPM is the wife of the PM-in-waiting ,Anwwwar Ibrahim.

END 

See also 

Wesfarmer's Lynas takeover: Betting on Mahathir's demise, and a Anwar Ibrahim-Najib Razak Lynas friendly government.