The Federal Government is not sidelining any state in its rare earth element (REE) initiative, as the national objective goes beyond becoming a mining hub to include developing value-added downstream industries, said Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
Speaking to reporters on Monday (May 19), Nik Nazmi called on state governments to support REE mining efforts, provided that all operations strictly adhere to established conditions and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure a stable and sustainable feedstock supply.
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Speaking to reporters on Monday (May 19), Nik Nazmi called on state governments to support REE mining efforts, provided that all operations strictly adhere to established conditions and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure a stable and sustainable feedstock supply.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Yes, about Lainas, they have created a statement in which the Lainas has been in Malaysia
00:10has become the first in the outside of China that can be processed heavy rare earth.
00:17Before this, all the process heavy rare earth has been made in China.
00:22So, this is one thing that is positive.
00:25And as we know, Lainas, Lainas di Pahang juga merupakan loji pemprosesan REE
00:33yang kedua terbesar selepas negara China.
00:36Jadi, bagi saya ini meningkatkan persaingan dalam setor nadir bumi
00:41dan sebagaimana kita maklum Malaysia, kita ada hubungan baik dengan negara China
00:45dan juga dengan negara-negara lain seperti Australia dalam soal nadir bumi
00:50dan ini adalah antara negara-negara utamalah dalam soal perlombongan rare earth.
00:55Jadi, bagi kita ini perkembangan positif.
00:58Dan sebab itu, kita sedang menggiatkan, menggalakkan kerajaan-kerajaan negeri
01:04untuk membenarkan perlombongan secara mengikut syarat-syarat dan SOP yang ditetapkan
01:10supaya ada feedstock untuk dibekalkan misalnya kepada loji pemprosesan Lainas tersebut.
01:17Jadi, sebab itu baru-baru ini ada kenyataan dan saya ingat kami baru respon hari ini juga
01:21menerusi kenyataan akhbar daripada Menteri Besar Kedah yang mengatakan ada seolah-olah
01:27kerajaan persekutuan meminggirkan atau mendiskriminasi kerajaan-kerajaan negeri pembangkang SG4
01:34dalam soal perlombongan nadir bumi tetapi kononnya tidak ada SOP.
01:41Sebenarnya SOP ini dikongsikan Disember 2023 kepada kerajaan-kerajaan negeri.
01:46MB Kedah pun datang pejabat saya waktu itu.
01:49Cuma, of course, dari segi penguatkuasaan, pengoperasian itu di peringkat kerajaan negeri.
01:53Dan tentang soal perlombongan di hutan simpan kekal, kita masih lagi tengah melakukan kajian
01:59untuk memastikan kita dapat melihat perkara ini dengan berhati-hati
02:06dan sekiranya kita benarkan pun dengan syarat-syarat yang ketat.
02:09Jadi, kajian itu masih lagi sedang dilakukan.
02:11Tetapi, untuk di luar kawasan hutan simpan kekal, bebas.
02:15Sepertimana yang berlaku di negeri Perak, mereka telah pun ada lombong dikenering
02:18yang tidak terletak dalam hutan simpan kekal.
02:21Tidak ada isu untuk kita melombong di kawasan tersebut.
02:24Ada soal berkaitan...
02:26Wabi, how will the heavy rare earth actually produce in Malaysia that benefit Malaysia?
02:31Well, I think because as we know, rare earth is a very strategic resource.
02:35So, and we know that there is a strong competition between China and other countries
02:42in order to process rare earth.
02:44Because previously, China has been very dominant in this field.
02:46So, obviously, for Malaysia, we have been trying to cooperate with everyone.
02:52We have the location of Linus plant.
02:55At the same time, recently, during the visit by Xi Jinping to Malaysia,
03:00there was a very productive discussion with Prime Minister Datuk Surya Anwar Ibrahim
03:04where they are open to sharing the technology of processing in Malaysia.
03:10So, that discussion is also ongoing.
03:11So, as far as we are concerned, the more technologies are available,
03:16whether it's from China, Australia, US, or any country,
03:19it is good for Malaysia because we want to be a hub for rare earth,
03:23not just mining, but also where we can add value,
03:26processing, building super magnets, and so on and so forth.