KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 — The anti-Lynas rally today saw 400 protesters demanding for Pakatan Harapan (PH) MPs’ resignations but decided against burning the PH manifesto as planned.
Malaysiakini reported that Save Malaysia Stop Lynas (SMSL) leader Tan Bun Teet told the press that it decided against this following comments by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
"The 'old wise man' said burning the manifesto was useless," said Tan, in reference to Dr Mahathir's remarks last Friday.
Ahead of the Anti-Lynas rally, the prime minister had said the threat to burn PH's manifesto would not resolve any issues concerning Lynas Corp's operations.
Tan previously said that burning the manifesto was to symbolise how the PH-led government had allegedly broken its promise to ensuring sustainable development.
The protest, which started this morning at 8am at Taman Gelora in Kuantan, was in reaction to the government's decision to extend Lynas' permit to operate a rare earth refinery in Pahang.
During the rally, protestors were seen carrying placards and banners denouncing the government and demanding the resignation of Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh and Bentong MP Wong Tack.
Fuziah who is also a deputy minister, and Wong are two of PH's most prominent faces in the anti-Lynas campaign.
One placard featured a caricature of Dr Mahathir which read "environmental colonialism" and another placard written in the Chinese calligraphy style, held by DAP assemblyman Ronnie Liu, contained a sarcastic message aimed at the federal government.
"While loving the people like his own child, money is also his child," the message read.
Liu, who is the Sungai Pelek assemblyman, hails from Raub, Pahang.
The police, however, advised protestors to take their rally elsewhere as the local authorities had not granted rally organisers permission to use the venue.
Protestors were warned that would action would taken against them as a result of violating the law.
Kuantan OCPD Asst Comm Mohamad Noor Yusof Ali reportedly said the police had met the organisers and informed them that the rules under the Peaceful Assembly Act must be observed.
