VIDEO | 1.59 min

Himpunan Hijau leader Wong Tack has vowed to sit under a tree at Dataran Merdeka  until the movement’s petition goals are met with regard to the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant.

Speaking at a press conference today, Wong said he will park himself under the three starting Aug 24 when Himpunan Hijau kicks off its million signatories petition against the plant in Gebeng, Kuantan.

NONE Himpunan Hijau previously held street marches to uproot Lynas but had gone quiet in the last few months as Wong contested in the recent general election, where he failed to unseat MCA’s Liow Tiong Lai from the Bentong parliamentary seat.

"I am always in politics... this is politics," he told Malaysiakini when met after the press conference.

"Getting into parliament is one of the campaign activities to bring the issue to the highest level. Today, the election is over, it will be another five years... we cannot stop here, the struggle goes on," he added.

Himpunan Hijau protested that the Lynas plant had yet to openly disclose plans or location for its permanent waste disposal facility (PDF).

Taking a swipe at the government during the press conference, Wong said: "We are very upset. To us, it is an illegal operation. Until today, they haven't shown us the proposal of the PDF ... how stupid we are? We are not stupid but the minister in charge is stupid.”

Contrary to the five conditions attached to the Temporary Operating Licence (TOL) issued to Lynas, government ministers have refused to disclose the location of the PDF so long as the Australian miner can process the waste.

Wong also revealed that street marches might follow suit in October.

The campaign would kick off in August, to coincide with Malaysia's national day and hopes to garner some 10,000 "green leaders" to gather the one million signatures.

Also present the press conference were national laurette A Samad Said, activist Hishamuddin Rais and Muafakat leader Ishak Surin.                         

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said last year that there were no suspicions about the safety of the RM700 million plant based on scientific facts following the release of the parliamentary select committee (PSC).

Lynas also told Bernama recently that it was expanding in Malaysia and was a "responsible" rare earths producer.