KUANTAN: Pakatan Harapan (PH) members of parliament, who signed the Harvest of Hope for Malaysia campaign in 2012, should recall the pledges that they made on the Lynas rare earth plant.
Save Malaysia Stop Lynas chairman Tan Bun Teet said some of the MPs signed a pledge to shut down Lynas when they were part of the opposition before the 14th General Election (GE14).
However, Tan said, they were nowhere to be found after they were elected.
“When the government made a U-turn (on Lynas), many elected representatives who had opposed Lynas kept quiet.
“We want them (elected representatives) to realise their mistakes and come back... voice out on behalf of the people and stand together with the people,” he said after an anti-Lynas rally here today.
Several PH ministers from the now-defunct Pakatan Rakyat coalition signed the pledge in 2012 to shut down the plant when they were in the opposition camp.
Tan said the U-turn on the PH manifesto (concerning Lynas) may have an impact on the results of the 15th General Election.
He said this was because the people would view the PH government as having gone back on the pledge to shut down the rare earth plant.
“People might not be convinced with the PH government as they are not making an attempt to look for a solution.
“Instead, they immediately reject the pledge, claiming it is impossible to fulfil it.
“This might upset some quarters and could have an impact on the election outcome,” he said.
Tan said several environmental non-governmental organisations would initiate a judicial review on the government’s decision to renew Lynas’ operating licence for six months.
Some 400 people took part in the anti-Lynas rally at the park in Taman Gelora, here.
Protesters carried placards and banner demanding that the government take action against Lynas.
The event, which lasted from 7.30am to 9.30am, also featured a mock bus made of cardboard with the words “Pakatan Mungkir Janji” (Pakatan Breaks Promise) and “Bas U-Turn Pakatan”, and cutout pictures of PH component party leaders.
The mock bus made repeated U-turns on the stage to symbolise the government’s U-turn on its manifesto.
There were some anxious moments when a group of Parti Sosialis Malaysia members suddenly marched towards Bentong member of parliament Wong Tack while he was speaking to the media and demanded that PH fulfil its promise on Lynas.
Those present include Teruntum state assemblymen Sim Chon Siang, Semambu state assemblyman Lee Chean Chung and Sungai Pelek assemblyman Ronnie Liu.