He added that the operating licence had been renewed for three years starting March this year and the company was required to begin the process within the first year from the licence’s renewal approval date.

“If Lynas is unable to begin work within the time frame, then in March 2021, its operating licence could be revoked,” he said during the ministers’ question time at the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.

Khairy said this in his reply to a supplementary question from Yeo Bee Yin (PH-Bakri) who wanted to know if the government would revoke Lynas’ operating licence if it did not fulfil the requirement as stated under the Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 (Act 304).

Earlier, replying to a question by Noh Omar (BN-Tanjong Karang) on the extension of Lynas’ operating licence, Khairy said the company’s application to renew the licence which expired on March 3, had been approved for another three years until March 2, 2023.

The licence was approved by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) after the company managed to meet several key conditions stipulated under the Act 304.

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