KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 — Anti-Lynas activist Natalie Lowrey was booted out of Malaysia Sunday because her name was on a list of individuals prohibited from entering the country, the director-general of the Immigration Department said today.

Datuk Aloyah Mamat did not specify what fault the New Zealander had that landed her on the blacklist, under Section 8 of the Immigration Act.

“She was well cared for while arrangements were being made by AirAsia to arrange for her return flight to Bali,” Aloyah said in a statement.

The Immigration official denied the Australia-based activist was mistreated, saying the budget carrier was also responsible for the Lowrey’s welfare until boarding time.

Aloyah said Lowrey had insisted on returning to Sydney, Australia but was sent back to Bali on September 1 on AirAsia Flight QZ551 at 9.45am.

“According to international procedure those who are denied entry must be sent back to the port of embarkation, not to another country,” the official said.

Lowrey, who was arrested together with 16 people during a mass protest against mining giant, Lynas Corp, in June, was refused entry on Sunday after disembarking at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) from Bali, Indonesia.

Opponents of Australian rare earths producer, Lynas, claimed on the Stop Lynas website that Lowrey was trying to enter Malaysia to observe the trial of the 15 other protesters who were charged with participating in an unlawful assembly and using criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty during the June 22 protest.

Activists and environmental groups had previously lobbied to stop Lynas from securing a permanent licence to operate its Advanced Material Plant (LAMP) rare-earth processing facility in Gebeng near Kuantan over what they say are environmental and health hazards.

Rare earths is a term used to describe 18 metals that are vital for many industrial and hi-tech processes such as the production of smartphones, hybrid car batteries, wind turbines, steel and low-energy light bulbs.

The two-year temporary operating licence (TOL) which Lynas secured from local regulators Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) in September 2012 expired yesterday.

But Lynas confirmed yesterday that AELB has granted it a permanent operating licence or a Full Operating Stage Licence (FOSL), with this licence renewable in two years’ time.