What’s at Stake in Rare Earth Processing?

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: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.