No Plan For National Rare Earth Corporation Says Govt

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Deputy minister Huang Tiong Sii says this follows talks with state governments, which want to manage their land and minerals under their respective state laws.
A senator described the rare earth elements industry as ‘another golden goose’ for the nation, valued at about RM1 trillion. (Envato Elements pic)PETALING JAYA: The federal government has no plans to establish a national entity to oversee and develop the rare earth elements (REE) industry similar to how oil and gas are managed under Petronas, according to the natural resources and environmental sustainability ministry
Its deputy minister, Huang Tiong Sii, said this decision was made after the ministry held several rounds of engagements with state governments, which saw the proposal as an attempt to nationalise their natural resources.
Huang was quoted by The Borneo Post as saying that Putrajaya also has no plans to enact new laws to govern the REE industry.
“It will instead respect the power and authority of the states to manage their land and minerals under their respective state laws,” he said in response to Robert Lau during the debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan in the Dewan Negara today.
Lau described REE as “another golden goose” for the nation, valued at about RM1 trillion.
Last month, opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin proposed the establishment of a national corporation to oversee and accelerate the development of Malaysia’s REE industry.
Hamzah, the Larut MP, said the proposed corporation, which should be wholly owned by the federal government, could work closely with the state governments to tap into the country’s rich mineral resources, particularly in Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah.
He said the move would not only attract investment in the critical minerals sector but also provide a fairer revenue-sharing model between the federal and state governments.
Hamzah also said a centralised national entity would provide stronger regulatory oversight, boost investor confidence, and help combat illegal mining. - FMT

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