By : SHAZWAN MUSTAFA KAMAL (TMI)
ANTI-LYNAS groups will take their campaign to mosques nationwide, hoping to break racial barriers and add support for their ongoing efforts to stop Lynas Corporation’s rare earth project in Kuantan.
The Malaysian Insider understands that a protest has been planned for 'selected' mosques nationwide this April 13, to be organised by a group of non-governmental organisations called Solidariti SeMalaysia Himpunan Hijau.
An estimated 22 groups, including Asalkan Bukan Umno (ABU) and Badan Bertindak Anti-Rare Earths (Badar), will be part of this campaign.
ABU representative Haris Ibrahim told The Malaysian Insider that Solidariti SeMalaysia Himpunan Hijau’s main objective is to correct the misconception that the Lynas issue only concerns the Chinese community and those living near the Gebeng Industrial Estate where the refinery is sited.
Haris said the events will be used as a 'build-up' to Bersih 3.0.
“The message is simple. Malaysians across the country do not want Lynas. We don’t want [the refinery’s operations] to commence.
“And this is an issue that concerns Muslims as well, not just the Chinese, hence the gathering at mosques. We will gather after Friday prayers and protest against Lynas,” he said.
The plan, according to Haris, is to organise and mobilise 'gatherings' in at least one mosque in every state.
“We’re talking about all states in the country... so far, five or six mosques have been confirmed,” he added.
The main venue for the event, said the activist, will be at the Dataran Kemerdekaan in Shah Alam, where anti-Lynas protesters will first gather at the Shah Alam mosque before marching to the square.
Haris stressed that the event was planned before Bersih 3.0 and Himpunan Hijau’s joint April 28 rally announcement, but said it will now serve as timely “build-up” for the rally.
“We will show solidarity... in every mosque, we will fight against Lynas.”
Himpunan Hijau said earlier this week it will join Bersih’s rally for free and fair elections this April 28 in the hope that this would further pressure the government to stop Lynas Corp’s rare earth project in Kuantan.
This will be Himpunan Hijau’s third public protest to date, and it is expected to draw an even larger crowd than the first two, which were held in Kuantan on October 9, 2011, and February 26 this year.
Lynas Corp’s Malaysian subsidiary has said the plant will be ready to fire up operations in three weeks’ time.
The government recently formed a parliamentary select committee (PSC) to look into the Lynas issue, but critics have dismissed it as a public relations exercise by the Najib administration.
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers, who are part of the anti-Lynas movement along with Kuantan residents, have decided to boycott the PSC, which has been given three months to resolve the ongoing dispute.
Masjid adalah tempat ibadat, jgn salah guna masjid.
ReplyDeleteJangan pergunakan masjid untuk semua seperti tu
ReplyDeleteHarap perhimpunan Hijau ini tidak akan mengundang perkara yang kurang baik.
ReplyDeleteyang dihalang oleh kerajaan itu pula yang dia buat.. dalam akta perhimpunan aman, para pendemo tidak dibenarkan menjalankan aktiviti perhimpunan di tempat2 awam seperti masjid.. penganjur perhimpunan ni paham ka tidak ni??
ReplyDeletebaik pihak berkuasa ambil saja tindakan menyekat perhimpunan ini sebelum mereka mengganggu atau menimbulkan kekecohan di lebih banyak tempat2 awam..
ReplyDeleteThe media, formal and informal, have a responsibility to disseminate accurate information on environment issues which affect everybody.
ReplyDeleteScience, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said the media, including social media which had a wide audience reach, must be accurate as wrong and misleading information could create a misinformed society.
ReplyDeleteThe public, he pointed out, should also seek clarification and verify information with the authorities and experts as some information over the Internet was deliberately inaccurate to play on the people’s sentiment and opinion.
ReplyDeleteThis includes the issue of the Lynas rare earth plant in Gebeng. Some crucial facts have been twisted by certain quarters through the use of the Internet and social media.
ReplyDeleteDr Maximus said this when closing the three- day Camp and Environment Education Programme held in conjunction with the World Forestry Day and Earth Day celebrations.
ReplyDeleteThe event, held at the Mangrove Recreational Park at the Kota Marudu Forestry Complex included a camp participated by students from 11 schools in Kota Marudu and nearby Pitas, Kudat and Kota Belud.
ReplyDeleteIt was organised by the state Forestry Department, Tourism Culture and Environment Ministry and Department of Environment.
ReplyDeleteDr Maximus also said that efforts to conserve and protect the environment and nature must be a responsibility shouldered jointly by the government, NGOs, the people and the media.
ReplyDeleteGovernment agencies should disseminate to the public what they had done to conserve the environment so as to increase public awareness as well as public participation in protecting the Earth.
ReplyDeleteThey can maximise the use of the social media to disseminate this information, including through modern information technology such as websites, Twitter, blogs; adding that to date, Sabah had managed to preserve 60% of its land area as forest land.
ReplyDelete