Menteri besar Saarani Mohamad said the opposition, in fact, had sufficient information regarding the matter.

“They (the opposition) must not pretend to forget because the NR-REE mining began during Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) time, then under Perikatan Nasional (PN) and I am just continuing it.

“Enough of trying to play politics to gain support, stop this drama of inciting and scaring the people about this, although I expected them to do this.

“They claim that they did not get the information and that the issue was not discussed with the opposition’s elected representatives … this means they must have been sleeping during the state assembly sitting,” he said when met after an event, near here, today.

Yesterday, Pasir Pinji state assemblyman Howard Lee, when speaking at the Reject BN-PN Tour programme in Kampung Manjoi here, expressed concern that the lanthanide mining project would have radioactive effects like what happened in Bukit Merah, Menglembu.

Perak Amanah chairman Asmuni Awi, during a press conference at the same programme, said there had been no engagement sessions with the opposition’s elected representatives on the mining project.

Saarani said the government had given an assurance that the rare earth element was safe to be mined and would not have radioactive effects as claimed by the opposition.

“Our stand is clear and firm that if the mineral mined has radioactive substances, then it will not be carried out. I am not a leader who is ready to put people’s health and lives at risk.

“We will not do that just to find a new source of income,” he said.