HUNDREDS of anti-Lynas protesters gathered in Kuantan today, in another show of growing discontent against Pakatan Harapan over its backtracking on manifesto promises.

The rare earth processing plant was met with protests ever since it opened in 2012, and politicians then in opposition but now in government had pledged to close it down.

“No U-turns, no U-turns! Don’t go back on your manifesto promise,” said a group of 30 protest leaders on the stage as they paraded a mock bus with cut-outs of PH leaders matched with “No U-turn” signs.

A picture of Prime Minister and Pakatan chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad led the cut-outs, followed by PKR and Amanah presidents Anwar Ibrahim and Mohamad Sabu, and DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang.

While the protest gimmick made for an entertaining spectacle, at the heart of the issue is the 6-month extension given to Lynas Advanced Material Plant (LAMP) to continue refining rare earth ore at the Gebeng Industrial Park.

The protesters, who began gathering since 7am in Kuantan, said Lynas had failed to fulfil its promise to repatriate waste generated from the rare earth refinery. 

It was reported that the Lynas plant holds 550,000 tonnes of low-level radioactive water leach purification (WLP) waste and 1.2 million tonnes of exposed naturalisation underflow residue (NUF).

“This is not a problem for the Chinese, Malays or Orang Asli only,” said Jaringan Orang Asli SeMalaysia (JOAS) vice-president Yusri Ahon.

“The Lynas plant will affect the environment and cause climate change. It’s crucial for the government to ensure the refinery will not cause further damage to the environment,” Yusri told a predominantly Chinese crowd of protesters at the public park in Taman Gelora this morning.

Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas (SMSL) chairman Tan Bun Teet, who is synonymous with the anti-Lynas movement, told the crowd that their elected representatives must be reminded of promises made to them.

“Before the elections, many of them had signed a petition to stop Lynas. 

“This is the time to remind them not to forget public interest after they are in Putrajaya or they will lose their support in the next election,” said the 71-year-old former mathematics teacher.

Protest organisers also paraded photographs of PKR, DAP and Amanah MPs and assemblymen who had signed a campaign pledge to stop the Lynas plant.

In 2013, Himpunan Hijau activist-turned-politician Wong Tack had collected 1.2 million signatures calling for LAMP to be closed down.

The 60-year-old Bentong MP also organised a 300km walk from Kuantan to Kuala Lumpur to protest against the plant.

Although, promise No. 39 in PH’s manifesto did not state closing down the Lynas plant, the coalition had promised not to allow development that was harmful to the environment, said Tan.

 “By allowing Lynas to continue operating here, it will affect the environment,” he added.

 SMSL said today’s protest had the support of 80 to 90 pressure groups.

‘No proof of pollution’

But some residents were not convinced of LAMP’s purported hazard to the environment.   

Kuantan resident Anand Kumar said the protests were a waste of time.

“They have been at this since the Barisan Nasional government and there is no proof that Lynas is harmful to the country,” said the 37-year-old jogger.

“Lynas is a profitable business that employs a lot of people here and the new government must be aware of the profits that it brings, hence the extension,” said Anand, who works in the private sector. 

There is no conclusive evidence that the Lynas waste has caused pollution, with a government review committee report last year stating that the plant’s operations posed a low risk.

But protesters have also set on the Australian miner exemption from paying tax for 12 years. 

Activists said Lynas employs only 600 people, while the company claims that it employs 4,000.

The protest finished at 9.15am without any untoward incidents. – August 18, 2019.