Despite light rain, 60 Kuantan residents, including mothers, gathered outside Parliament House today to demand that the prime minister withdraws the temporary operating licence (TOL) issued to the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp) in Gebeng, Kuantan.

NONE Rahiza Zulkifli ( left ), who represented 12 Kuantan mothers, appealed to Najib Abdul Razak, as a Pahang native and a father himself, to exercise his duty of care and to show strong leadership by intervening in the Lynas TOL matter.

"We appeal to you as the esteemed prime minister of Malaysia to show leadership in sustainable development by stopping the Lynas refinery plant.

"This is in the interest of the people and for the long-term future of your homeland in Pahang," states the memorandum Rahiza presented to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz at Parliament House at 4.30pm.

At a press conference after handing over the memorandum, Rahiza said Nazri promised to give it to Najib “as soon as possible”.

She is optimistic that Najib will fulfil the people’s demands and close Lamp down.

'So many ways to stop Lynas'

Asked about their next step if Najib refused to have the TOL cancelled, Rahiza said the mothers would find other solutions but declined to give any details.

“There are so many ways, 1,001 ways to stop (Lynas). The memorandum is only one step... There is many things to come if the prime minister doesn’t want to listen to us.”

Save Malaysia Stop Lynas coalition chairperson Tan Boon Teet, who was present, said the mothers departed from Kuantan at 10.30am.

The two busloads of protesters initially planned to march to Parliament from the National Monument at 3pm.

NONE However, they arrived late, at 3.30pm, and stopped in front of the entrance to Parliament because of the rain and traffic jam.

One protester, Ou Dai Foo ( right ), who donned a helmet with an red light attached, said the helmet symbolised the people's disagreement with the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant operating in their locality.

"Although the government has given the green light to Lynas, it did so without getting the people's consent," Ou, a resident of Kuantan,said.

He also wore a placard carrying the statement "Lynas Malaysia, people show red light despite PSC's green light" on his chest.

The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant in its report released in June recommended that the government grants the TOL to Lamp.

Outside Parliament House, the crowd also shouted the “Stop Lynas!” slogan and displayed the placards saying “Najib, people or Lynas first?” and “A clean government will stop Lynas” before dispersing at 5.30pm.

Despite massive protests, the government on Sept 5 issued the TOL to the controversial rare earths plant, which residents fear will pose a radiation hazard to them.

Local activists have also applied to the court for the TOL to be suspended pending two judicial review cases challenging the government's decision to issue the TOL.

The High Court in Kuantan will give its decision on Nov 8.

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