Lynas’ threat of legal action against NGOs rallying against the rare earth plant in Gebeng, Pahang, is an “insult” to all Malaysians, said the anti-Lynas coalition Himpunan Hijau today.

NONE “Can we Malaysians take this sort of insult and allow a foreign corporate coloniser to step into our land and threaten us?

“Where is our self-respect, fellow Malaysians if we don’t stand up now,” said Himpunan Hijau Steering committee chairperson Wong Tack ( right ) in a statement.

Yesterday it was reported that Lynas Corporation Ltd has sent a letter of demand to 45 NGOs for endorsing an open letter by activist group Save Malaysia Stop Lynas (SMSL) to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

The SMSL open letter called on the government to stop any shipment of rare earth ore concentrate into Malaysia.

The activists are opposing the plant over concerns of radiation hazard that the rare earth wastes potentially poses.

NONE Lynas’ lawyers demanded the NGOs apologise publicly in the print and web media as well as guarantee they would refrain from publishing any further statements similar to the appeal to Najib, or face a lawsuit for injury caused to the company’s reputation and "loss of goodwill".

Himpunan Hijau said, “Lynas’ demand for an apology including their threat to sue the people and a group of esteemed organisations who represent millions of righteous citizens of Malaysia has further intensified the peoples’ anger.”

‘Blatant disregard for environmental justice’

Himpunan Hijau also said they were “appalled by the heinous statement” of the Australian High Commission in Malaysia, who had asked that Lynas be treated “fairly” saying Lynas had complied with all laws and regulations.

“We all know there were serious violations of all laws, regulations and procedures right from the beginning. This sort of irresponsible statement from a high commission of an advanced country like Australia shows a blatant disrespect for environmental justice and human rights,” the statement said.

NONE The group invited the high commission to meet them outside its premises on April 28 in order to explain their statement. The high commission will also “receive a coffin as a symbolic protest of the risk of innocent people dying from radioactive pollution from Lynas”.

Malaysians, especially the people of Kuantan, must realise that the issue is at their doorsteps and take part in the protest, Himpunan Hijau said.

Cautioning those who are unwilling to attend, the group said they would have to hold themselves accountable to their children in the future.

penang himpunan hijau 2 260212 03 “It will have an immediate adverse irreversible impact to your community and the well being of your future generations. Even if you are a physically challenged person or wheelchair-bound, you should still consider being there. If you don’t act now, who will?”

The Himpunan Hijau 3.0 protest is to be held at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) park, where the group will march to Dataran Merdeka.

It will be the third such rally by the group against the Lynas plant in Gebeng, an industrial park close to Kuantan.

Their first rally in Kuantan on Feb 26 drew an estimated 15,000 crowd .