Group hopes PM will halt Lynas Print
Wednesday, 03 August 2011 22:39

KOTA KINABALU: Green Surf, a coalition of environmental groups in Sabah, is confident that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will listen to the people of Pahang who oppose the rare earth processing plant in their home state.
It said although the plant was under construction, it was not too late for him to intervene and halt the Australian-owned Lynas Advanced Materials Plant in Kuantan.

The coalition said concerns over the plant should not be viewed as “anti-development” and that the 1Malaysia vision of “people first” was a reminder on the importance of the voice of local communities.

The movement said in a statement yesterday it had decided to speak up as the issue impacted all Malaysians irrespective of location.

Green Surf spokesperson Wong Tack said at a time when citizens in Sabah were told that the only option to stabilise power supply in the state was a coal-fired plant, Najib listened to the people and put a stop to the proposal, earning Malaysia accolades from international groups and energy experts.

“Green Surf faced many challenges in fighting the coal-plant but we always believed that one day the country's top leadership would listen. Sure enough, the PM heard us.

“We sympathise with the people in Pahang and although we are across the South China Sea, we are worried that our nation is taking on a project that is known to have serious health implications, all of which have been repeatedly raised not only by people in the area but also the Malaysian Medical Association and the Malaysian Bar as well as Australian groups and individuals,” he said.