Pakatan Rakyat has yet to establish a common stance on whether or not it will shelve the Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid) project in Pengerang, if it comes to power in Johor.

NONE Johor PKR chief Chua Jui Meng, when contacted, said the coalition will meet soon to "fine-tune" its stance.

"We will have a friendly sit-down soon on the matter. I want to stress that we are heading in the same direction," he said.

PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub had said yesterday that he was not opposed to the project but would want the 10 villages affected by the project to be spared.

When pressed if this is the Pakatan stance, Salahuddin had replied: "I feel that, among the Pakatan leaders, we want (the project) in Johor but without affecting the traditional villages.

"In terms of that, we have no argument. There is strong consensus."

azlan However, Chua said Johor PKR’s view is that the project should be stopped altogether.

"This is not my own stance, this was decided by the party's political bureau,” he said.

"We want it to be stopped because the land acquisition is already taking place.

"The government has already made an offer for compensation, so there is no other way (out) for the villagers."

However, Chua said Pakatan's component parties have the same concerns about the acquisition of village land for the project.

Johor DAP against project

Johor DAP chief Boo Cheng Hau, when contacted, said the party disagrees with the project but that it is up to residents to decide on the matter.

pkr johor skudai dinner 150912 boo cheng hau He said the DAP has not delved into the merits of closing the plant, but remains focused on helping the people to solve the problems arising from implementation of the mega-project.

"This is because many of the villagers depend on traditional (forms of livelihood) and the plant will destroy these. How much the project can benefit the locals is yet to be seen," said Boo (left) .

A coalition of NGOs, with opposition backing, had organised a 3,000-strong rally in Pengerang on Sept 30 to protest the project.

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