Whichever way one views the Lynas project, Pahang Mentri Besar Adnan Yaakob and Prime Minister Najib Razak have to take the responsiblity for the disgraceful violence that broke out this morning between supporters and detractors of the proposed rare earth plant in full sight of a distingusihed panel from the IAEA.
It has been well documented that both Adnan and Najib favor the RM700 million project even though it carries huge environmental risks from potential radioactive leaks in the rare earth mining wastes.
Adnan, in particluar, has been vocal and wants to hammer the project through so that it can be re-started within the next month or so despite a slew of warnings from environmentalists, and the experience of a similar but failed project in Bukit Merah, Perak.
Najib, as PM, has taken a lower profile but he is just as passionate about the locating rare earth refining plant in Pahang, which his home state. Like Adnan, he appears oblivious to the threat of radioactive contamination and the consequent health hazards it will pose to the people of Pahang.
Najib's critics point to his having received a doctorate from Monash university during a recent visit to Australia as an indication of the strength of his commitment to ensuring the Lynas project will go through.
Lynas is Australia's largest miner. Apart from this controversial plant, which Australia does not wish to host on its own vast continent, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has also managed to persuade Najib to accept another 'project' that her country is keen to get rid off - providing asylum for refugees fleeing the region.
In both controversial projects that have attracted international attention, Najib has allowed Malaysia to be Australia's rubbish dump, so to speak. The question is why?
"It is certainly suspicious and Najib does owe the Malaysian people an explanation. The same goes for Adnan. He can deny that the unruly pro-Lynas crowd is not linked to UMNO or was instigated by him or UMNO, but who will believe them? This an UMNO project, an Adnan-Najib pet project in fact. How can they deny responsibility now," PKR leader Lee Boon Chye told Malaysia Chronicle.
Samseng
On Tuesday, some 100 rowdy demonstrators supporting the controversial rare earth plant forced a group of Beserah residents to leave the Hyatt Regency hotel, where the residents had met the expert members from the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Beserah is the site where the rare earth plant is located and the residents there, along with many Pahang residents, are unhappy to have such a potential health hazard forced onto their state.
A scuffle ensued, punches were thrown and the police had to escort the residents away.
Earlier in the morning, the pro-Lynas group carrying banners proclaiming support for Adnan had also chased anti-Lynas protestors who were wearing 'Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas' t-shirts.
The anti-Lynas group had gathered at the beach in front of the hotel, and outnumbered, were forced to drop their plan to protest.
"This is typical UMNO samseng behaviour. It is very sad that with the whole world watching, they are disgracing our country, Pahang and also destroying the image of the Malays with their behaviour," PKR vice president Fuziah Salleh told Malaysia Chronicle.
- Malaysia Chronicle
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