NGOs that supported the Himpunan Hijau rally against the petrochemical project in Pengerang, Johor on Sept 30 have refuted the local MP's claim that the participants were paid RM30 each.

NONE In a statement today, the Johor Yellow Front, consisting of 30 NGOs, said that Pengerang MP Azalina Othman's ( left ) statement in the Dewan Rakyat was "confusing" and "disappointing".

"We strongly deny Azalina's claim that most of the rally participants were outsiders who received RM30 each to attend.

"We demand that she furnishes proof of the claim, or else retract it and apologise to all Malaysians," they said.

The NGOs said that they had participated and supported the rally as locals were against the project which would bring harm to the environment and the villages.

"We object to the environmental harm, the forced takeover of land and the poor compensation for loss of livelihood," they said.

"As Pengerang MP, she should listen to the locals."

While debating the budget speech, Azalina on Thursday said that someone had told her that participants of the rally at Dataran Rengit last Sunday were bussed in and paid RM30 per person.

However, when asked by Malaysiakini to elaborate on this claim, she said: "I said that in the Dewan Rakyat and what I say inside and outside the Dewan are different."

For Umno, everyone must be paid to protest