Rain failed to stop the 30 participants of the RedtoGreen walk from Kuantan to Parliament from completing day two of the 17 day protest walk today. The participants walked eight hours in scorching then wet conditions from Kuantan to Gambang today.

They will camp near the Kampung Melayu Gambang mosque tonight before continuing their journey on foot to Kuala Lumpur, to protest the bauxite mining which has enveloped areas surrounding Kuantan in red dust and contaminated waterways.

While all participants made it to the second pit stop at about 4pm, one had to receive medical attention midway after his legs cramped up. He continued his journey after that.

One Kuantan native, who only wants to be known as Uncle Woon, defied his age of 73 to join the protest walk - barefoot. Woon previously joined the walk against the Lynas rare earth project previously, said the journey is not a problem for him. He said no one can water his vegetable farm today because he is walking, but he believes this walk is more important because it will raise awareness of the health hazards of the bauxite mining.

Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh said she expects the number of participants to dwindle tomorrow, as it is a working day. But the walk to Parliament will continue even if there is only one participant, she said. She said despite the physically demanding challenge, the walk has mostly attracted older participants. “Maybe they care more about this issue than the youngsters,” she said when contacted.

The walk will end at the Parliament building on March 28, when the participants will hand over their memorandum to the MPs. Severe pollution in the Kuantan area prompted a three month moratorium on bauxite mining starting Jan 15. It expires this week.

Bauxite mining boomed in Pahang after Indonesia barred export of bauxite to spur local industry, making Malaysia the largest exporter of bauxite. The mining escaped mandatory environmental impact assessments regulations because most of the mines are small and conducted on land belonging to villagers.