A rare earth processing facility in Gebeng is back in the headlines, following the government’s decision to grant it a 10-year licence renewal. While new conditions have been introduced, civil society groups say longstanding concerns over radioactive waste, transparency, and accountability remain unresolved. At the same time, a separate agreement linking Malaysia’s rare earth supply to a foreign defence department is raising fresh ethical and legal questions. To unpack all of this, we speak to Meenakshi Raman, the President of Sahabat Alam Malaysia.


Image Credit: Shutterstock

A rare earth processing facility in Gebeng is back in the headlines, following the government’s decision to grant it a 10-year licence renewal. While new conditions have been introduced, civil society groups say longstanding concerns over radioactive waste, transparency, and accountability remain unresolved. At the same time, a separate agreement linking Malaysia’s rare earth supply to a foreign defence department is raising fresh ethical and legal questions. To unpack all of this, we speak to Meenakshi Raman, the President of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://foe-malaysia.org/">Sahabat Alam Malaysia</a>. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Climate change, ferocious weather and ‘the haze’ are now part our everyday lives. How are our lifestyles connected to them, and what can we do about it? What does the economy have to do with it? Earth Matters engages with activists and experts to explore our changing relationship with the planet that we only borrow from our children.