The rally site for Himpunan Hijau 2.0 has been hastily fenced off, just three days ahead of the event where thousands are expected to gather in protest against the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp).
According to Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh, a 2m high wooden structure was constructed today to surround Padang MPK 1.
"Two days ago, a notice was put up with regards to Kuantan Municipal Council (MPK) organising a Fusal match on the field and now this.
"I made a call to the public relations officer of MPK.
"She was quick to explain that this fence was put up to facilitate a project to upgrade Padang MPK 1 for the Sukma event in July," she said.
Adding to Fuziah’s suspicion is the hurried manner in which the fence was constructed by a group of foreign labourers, which upon enquiry, was shipped in from Temerloh just today.
"They confided that they still do not have a place to stay for the night in Kuantan," said Fuziah.
According to Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh, a 2m high wooden structure was constructed today to surround Padang MPK 1.
"Two days ago, a notice was put up with regards to Kuantan Municipal Council (MPK) organising a Fusal match on the field and now this."I made a call to the public relations officer of MPK.
"She was quick to explain that this fence was put up to facilitate a project to upgrade Padang MPK 1 for the Sukma event in July," she said.
Adding to Fuziah’s suspicion is the hurried manner in which the fence was constructed by a group of foreign labourers, which upon enquiry, was shipped in from Temerloh just today.
"They confided that they still do not have a place to stay for the night in Kuantan," said Fuziah.
Will MB keep his word?
Fuziah said she suspects that there is a “hidden hand” in the plot to frustrate Himpunan Hijau 2.0 participants, despite Pahang Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob giving his apparent green light.
“He had said that the convergence of people in Kuantan for Himpunan Hijau 2.0 will be good for the local economy. He even said that he may drop by during the event on Sunday.
“Thus I further implore upon the MB not to speak with a forked tongue,” she said.
Fuziah added that a further two day delay in the purported Sukma preparations will not make any difference and hoped that Adnan will keep his word.
She said there was no reason for MPK to deny rally organisers the use of the field because it was a peaceful assembly.
“We have always had Sure Heboh (concert) here. Why can't we have Himpunan Hijau 2.0 this Sunday for a change? It is for a good cause and most importantly the Kuantan public wants it,” she said.
Himpunan Hijau 2.0 is organised by grassroots groups who are opposing Lamp, which has been given the approval by the government to begin operations.
Pakatan Rakyat top leadership have promised to support the event while Pahang PAS have promised to bring 10,000 members to support the event.
“He had said that the convergence of people in Kuantan for Himpunan Hijau 2.0 will be good for the local economy. He even said that he may drop by during the event on Sunday.
“Thus I further implore upon the MB not to speak with a forked tongue,” she said.
Fuziah added that a further two day delay in the purported Sukma preparations will not make any difference and hoped that Adnan will keep his word.
She said there was no reason for MPK to deny rally organisers the use of the field because it was a peaceful assembly.
“We have always had Sure Heboh (concert) here. Why can't we have Himpunan Hijau 2.0 this Sunday for a change? It is for a good cause and most importantly the Kuantan public wants it,” she said.
Himpunan Hijau 2.0 is organised by grassroots groups who are opposing Lamp, which has been given the approval by the government to begin operations.
Pakatan Rakyat top leadership have promised to support the event while Pahang PAS have promised to bring 10,000 members to support the event.
Organisers have complained that they MPK and the police have been giving them the runaround during their attempt to inform them of the rally, in compliance with the newly passed Peaceful Assembly Act 2011.
‘Fence won’t stop us’
Meanwhile, the organising committee’s chairperson, Wong Tack, told Malaysiakini that the fence wouldn’t stop them using the MPK1 field to assemble.
When told that the city council has organised a futsal tournament at the field on that day, he just said, “This is good, we can plan together.”
“We are 100 percent certain about using the city council field to assemble. We have only plan A, there is no plan B,” he said in a phone interview.
To a question whether the protesters would have to break down the fence just to go into the field, Wong, refused to give a direct answer.
He did not rule out the possibility that the protesters would switch plans and march on the streets, if they are forced to.
He said if that were to happened, the protesters were not to be blamed.
“To sit on the field for two-and-a half-hours is the only wish we have,” he said.
As such, he urged the city council to change its mind and “wake up” in the next two to three days, and re-open the field.
“The walls all over the world have collapsed due to the rakyat’s power, only Malaysian set up such a wall, what a shame,” he said.
Wong said the committeee had been informed that there would be a meeting with Kuantan OCPD Mohd Jasmani Yusof tomorrow morning.
“We don’t know what the police are going to talk about. The meeting set for 10am, we are going to meet among ourselves to decide who are the five representatives we will be sending,” he said.
However, Wong claimed that the committee would not meet the MPK, since the committee’s stand has been made known to the latter through media reports.
Meanwhile, the organising committee’s chairperson, Wong Tack, told Malaysiakini that the fence wouldn’t stop them using the MPK1 field to assemble.
When told that the city council has organised a futsal tournament at the field on that day, he just said, “This is good, we can plan together.”
“We are 100 percent certain about using the city council field to assemble. We have only plan A, there is no plan B,” he said in a phone interview.
To a question whether the protesters would have to break down the fence just to go into the field, Wong, refused to give a direct answer.
He did not rule out the possibility that the protesters would switch plans and march on the streets, if they are forced to.
He said if that were to happened, the protesters were not to be blamed.
“To sit on the field for two-and-a half-hours is the only wish we have,” he said.
As such, he urged the city council to change its mind and “wake up” in the next two to three days, and re-open the field.
“The walls all over the world have collapsed due to the rakyat’s power, only Malaysian set up such a wall, what a shame,” he said.
Wong said the committeee had been informed that there would be a meeting with Kuantan OCPD Mohd Jasmani Yusof tomorrow morning.
“We don’t know what the police are going to talk about. The meeting set for 10am, we are going to meet among ourselves to decide who are the five representatives we will be sending,” he said.
However, Wong claimed that the committee would not meet the MPK, since the committee’s stand has been made known to the latter through media reports.
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