YOURSAY ‘It is Wong's personal choice to become a politician but he must realise once he is a member of a party, his principles will be compromised.'

Quit Himpunan Hijau, panel member urges Wong Tack

your say Anon.ymous: Himpunan Hijau steering committee member Clement Chin's request to Himpunan Hijau chairperson Wong Tack is perfectly logical.

Himpunan Hijau should continue to work outside the establishment and not let its hands be tied to any political master.

Ann: Yes, much as I want political change, I have my doubts as to how committed Pakatan Rakyat parties really are to the environmental cause.

The ambiguous recent statements by their leaders over whether they would really shut down Lynas seriously worries me. They seem to be back-tracking from their earlier unequivocal call for the plant to be shut down, much as I feared.

Himpunan Hijau should not be linked to the DAP, which is pursuing unsustainable policies in Penang (tunnel, highways) and seems to be co-opting Wong and the green cause for their own political ends.

KL112: Wong has to understand that once he is elected as an MP, he needs to speak on many issues that effect the rakyat, not just environmental issues. As an MP, he can give full support for Himpunan Hijau, even if he is not the chairperson.

Ferdtan: Chin, I think you should quit Himpunan Hijau instead, not Wong, as he has the endorsement of the whole committee. If you cannot agree with the whole committee, then you should resign.

You just cannot see the big picture of Wong contesting in the coming election. It is a means to an end - to put for the very first time a ‘Green MP' in Parliament.

BN has totally rejected Himpunan Hijau and since Pakatan supported the movement by offering a seat for Wong to contest in, what is wrong with that?

If Chin doesn't understand the difference between a candidate contesting under a particular party's political ticket and being a full-time member, he is not fit to be in the Himpunan Hijau committee.

Sungai Siput MP Dr D Jeyakumar of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), contested and won under the banner of PKR in 2008. Did you see him be under any obligation to follow the dictates of PKR?

Nes: It is Wong's personal choice to become a politician but he must realise once he is a member of a party, his principles will be compromised. He should have quit Himpunan Hijau once he had made up his mind.

By not doing so, he lost credibility, especially so when he immediately agreed to allow Lynas to operate if done through the 'front door' (whatever that means), when not so long ago he wanted to burn it down.

However, you have our blessing as a politician. Very few politicians serve the people, but instead serve themselves. I hope you are one of the few.

Sabahan: Wong will need to stand down only if he is elected, as he will not have time to lead Himpunan Hijau. If he is defeated, he can continue leading the movement. There is no law that NGO leaders have to resign before standing for elections.

Let us not put conditions on potential candidates. Even if he resigns, he will have the support of Himpunan Hijau.

Lie detector: Chin, Wong is being controlled by party ideology? He is contesting on a DAP-Pakatan ticket. The Pakatan manifesto is need-based, not race-based, anti-cronyism, deficit reducting, anti-corruption, greater transparency, and anti-Lynas, etc. Indeed, please let me be controlled by Pakatan.

On the contrary, Chin, since you don't support Wong, you should resign from Himpunan Hijau. Check out the crowd last night who gave their massive endorsement to Wong.

LiarsSlaughter: Wong's acceptance of the offer of the candidacy in the GE13 is another way for Himpunan Hijau to achieve its goals. Don't compare Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) with Himpunan Hijau.

Wong is being offered a seat without requesting for it. Whereas Hindraf's leadership is demanding for seats and threatening to sabotage Pakatan if it doesn't get them.

Ian2003: Very commendable and totally agree. Hopefully, Hindraf would learn something here.

Senior: Be apolitical. If you want to be an MP, give up your environment activities. I have no love for BN or Umno, but on principle, politicians and environmental issues don't mix, unless you form a Green Party, but not in DAP.

Wira: Wong is beholden to no political party. Just that he is furthering the cause of Himpunan Hijau and is standing in Bentong as a representative of the green movement under a DAP ticket and the umbrella of a two-party system.

Do you see Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali beholden to PAS even though he stood under a PAS ticket in 2008? Pakatan feels Wong is a good bet because this honourable gentleman stands a good chance to deprive MCA-BN of their safe seat in Bentong.

Pakatan will suspend the Lynas plant should they win Putrajaya and the suspension will remain so unless Pakatan-instituted inquiry can prove it to be safe. Isn't this synonymous with what the green movement wants with respect to Lynas?

With BN, the green movement stands zero chance of shutting down Lynas and the movement had already exhausted all legal avenues.

Low Kok Kok: The moment he joined politics, Wong loses his credibility. For someone who threatened to burn down Lynas and now agree to Lynas if they use the "front door" shows that he is a person who is willing to compromise his principles.

Secondly, how could DAP accept him as a candidate when he threatened to burn down Lynas - it was grossly immature of him. At his age, he cannot behave like a loose cannon and simply fire away in Parliament.

Cowboy: Wong is the most suitable candidate to contest for the Bentong parliamentary seat. He represents Himpunan Hijau's cause and aspiration. DAP is just providing him the platform.

Let the voters decide. If he is successful, that he will send a powerful signal to Parliament that people are concerned with environmental issues.

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