Putrajaya says rejected Lynas proposal, wants more info

The government said today Australian miner Lynas Corp’s submissions on safety requirements for its controversial RM1.5 billion rare earth refinery in Gebeng was rejected last month.

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) told Parliament today that it had received the submissions on July 18, two weeks after Putrajaya adopted the 11 recommendations set out by an International Atomic Energy Agency-led (IAEA) review of the refinery.

“On September 19, we returned all documents for corrections and additional information,” deputy minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof said of submissions by Lynas, whose factory has raised fears of radiation pollution in Kuantan.

The government has said it will not allow Lynas to begin operations or import rare earth ore until the 11 conditions, which include a comprehensive, long-term and detailed plan for managing radioactive waste that covers decommissioning and remediation, are met.

Assemblyman meets Thai authorities on roadblocks , alleged retaliate against the move by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) in issuing summonses to drivers of Thai vehicles carrying tourists into this country over the past two months.

State Assemblyman for Bukit Kayu Hitam, Datuk Ahmad Zaini Japar today held a meeting with the Thai authorities to resolve the issue of Malaysian buses and vans carrying tourists being prevented from entering Thailand.

He said he had met the Sadao Police Chief as well as the District Officer and representatives of the Hatyai Tourism Association in Danok and explained on the Malaysian laws and regulations that needed to be complied with so that Thai tour operators could bring tourists legally to Malaysia by bus or vans.

"I handed over the forms for them to apply for the permits from the Tourism Ministry but for the moment, they are still maintaining the decision to prevent Malaysian vans and buses from carrying tourists to Thailand," Ahmad Zaini said when contacted.

New passports to be ready in an hour from tomorrow

Getting a new passport is expected to be a breeze at most branches of the Immigration Department as the waiting period for new applications has been reduced from two hours to one hour starting tomorrow.

Immigration Department director-general Datuk Abdul Rahman Othman said the service would be available at a number of branches in the country.

“This is part of the government’s efforts to further expedite the process of applications for passports. There are 37 branches throughout the country and the service will be implemented at 25 branches initially.

“Since the introduction of such services at main offices, especially in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, will require employing additional staff to ease the process, it will be done accordingly,” he told Bernama today.

Copyright Act to be amended

The Copyright Act 1987 will be amended to give the government more bite in handling intellectual property and copyright related matters, Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.

He said the ministry hopes to table the amendments in the Parliamentary meeting in June.

Among the proposed amendments are to enhance current controls over the purchase or ownership of pirated CD, VCD or DVDs.

Also proposed will be action against owners of premises selling pirated goods.

Currently, Section 41(2) of the Copyright Act states that it is an offence for "any person who has in his possession, custody or control three or more infringing copies of a work or recording."

Ismail Sabri said currently, action is only taken against producers and those who sell the pirated goods, but with the amendments, once approved, the action goes across the board for everyone, making it an offence for anyone to own even a single copy of pirated works.