Media statement by M.Kula Segaran at Bukit Merah on Friday, 29^th April 2011:

Unless the BN State Government makes it clear and firm that there will not be any rare earth plant in the state, DAP is prepared to launch a protest campaign to compel the government to declare such a policy

Following public disclosure that CVM Minerals Limited had entered into an MoU with the PKNP to explore and mine rare earths in Bukit Merah, we have seen different reactions from the government leaders.

Mentri Besar Datuk Zambry said that he was left in the dark over the agreement.

Perak Health, Local Government and Environment Committee Chairman Datuk Mah Han Soon said that as far as he was concerned, it was just a MoU (memorandum of understanding) between the state investment arm and a private firm, and no permit had been issued to start any ground work.

But he added:

"Even if the project was given approval, there would not be any construction of a rare earth processing plant".

Perak executive councilor Hamidah Osman said that the Perak government would not allow a second rare earth plant to be built in Bukit Merah.

She said the MOU was merely a "low-level" agreement and CVM Minerals would not get authorisation for any rare earth project under any circumstances.

DAP is shocked that PKNP could sign such an agreement given allegation that the people are still suffering health problems due to the first rare earth plant built in Bukit Merah some 20 years ago.

How could the Mentri Besar who also chairs PKNP be totally in the dark about such an agreement?

How many more low level agreement are there that he is not aware of?

I can't help but wonder why Datuk Zambry did not give a categorical and immediate assurance that there will be no rare earth plant in Perak when informed of the MoU.

Why should it be Hamidah who declared that the government would not issue any permit?

Why Mah Hang Soon should qualify his statement by saying that "even if the project was given approvalˇ­ˇ­ˇ­.?

Is there some confusion among the government leaders or is there more than that meets the eyes?

The first rare earth plant should serve as a good lesson for Perak and the government must never repeat the mistake and allow the set up of another rare earth plant.

It was recently confirmed that 80,000 two hundred litre drums containing radio active waste are currently being kept at the dump located in the Kledang Range behind Papan town. The site is 3km from Bukit Merah and Papan and about 15km from Ipoh. And the waste is thorium hydroxide. Cancer-causing radon is released during decay.

Hence, not only the Perak state government must declare a no more rare earth plant policy for the state, Perakians must also make their stand and voices loud and clear that they reject the set up of any rare earth plant.

Unless the state government makes it clear and firm that there will not be any rare earth plant in the state, DAP is prepared to launch a protest campaign to compel the government to declare such a policy.

DAP and Pakatan Rakyat assure Perakians that under the Pakatan Rakyat policy and government, no rare earth plant will ever be allowed.

* M. Kula Segaran, DAP National Vice Chairman & MP for Ipoh Barat