Lynas affair: Karpal calls on Sultan to intervene

The Sultan of Pahang has to step in in the interest of his subjects, says Karpal Singh.

GEORGE TOWN: The DAP has called on the Sultan of Pahang to intervene and look into the Lynas affair in the interests of Malaysians.

DAP national chairman Karpal Singh said although the sultan was no doubt a constitutional figure head, nonetheless His Highness could not necessarily be the sort of ruler to sit back under certain circumstances.

“He has to step in in the interest of his subjects,” Karpal told newsmen here today in response to the formation of a parliamentary select committee (PSC) on Lynas.

He pointed to the last July’s Bersih 2.0 rally as a precedent to be emulated by the Sultan of Pahang to step into the Lynas affair.

He recalled that His Majesty the King then had invited Bersih organisers to his Royal Palace and directed them to hold the rally elsewhere in the public interests.

He has no doubt that the PSC was an election gimmick to calm down the opposition and the people on Lynas.

“No doubt the select committee is not going to solve the Lynas issue,” Karpal said.

The two-term Bukit Gelugor MP said it was difficult to believe on how in the first place Australia’s Lynas Corporation Ltd was allowed to have its plant in Gebeng, near Kuantan.

He said the plant can be located in Australia, which is a continent with vast empty land.

Last month anti-Lynas movement, Himpunan Hijau 2.0 held a nationwide protest against Lynas, which has been issued a temporary licence to set up its rare earth plant in Gebeng.

Lim wants PSC clarification
Meanwhile, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan called on the government to clarify on the terms of reference on PSC on Lynas.

Lim, who is also the DAP secretary-general, said Pakatan Rakyat should reconsider its participation in the PSC if it was only to boost the people’s confidence over the project.

Headed by Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin, the PSC would have four members from Barisan Nasional, three from Pakatan and one independent member.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Aziz has said that the terms of reference were for the committee to review the feedback from the public on the project, to get explanation from various groups, including the relevant authorities and parties with interest in the issue, and to suggest steps to be taken on the matter to Parliament