Through heat and rain, the day’s humidity and night’s chill, nothing seems to stop the 11 participants of the Red2Green anti-bauxite walk from Kuantan to Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur.

Having started the 254km journey on March 12 in a bid to highlight their dissatisfaction over the unresolved problems in Pahang’s bauxite mining, the group is today on Day 7 of their 17-day walk.

The odyssey will end at the Parliament building on March 28, when the participants will hand over their memorandum to the MPs. Right now, nothing can stop them from their mission - be it the weather or blisters.

The participants are especially encouraged by the determination of a matriarchal figure, fondly known as “Aunty Yap”, who soldiered on despite the recent blisters on her feet.

According to Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh, Aunty Yap had only missed one day of the walk, when she had to return home to manage an urgent family matter.

The brave woman received medical aid from Fuziah’s team.

As reported by Malaysia Dateline , there is also a young man equally determined to complete the walk.

He is Razali Abu Bakar, from Bukit Goh, a residential area where rampant bauxite mining activities have exacerbated his father’s asthma condition.

The moratorium on bauxite mining has given his father only temporary relief from the marauding red dust.

However, like most Kuantan residents, Razali is aware that more has to be done to resolve the ill-effects of the excessive bauxite mining.

Walking close beside him is 62-year-old Yeo Kim Kee, who lives in Taman Impian, Kuantan, along the roads where lorries filled to the brim with bauxite would make their way to Kuantan port. Despite his senior years, Yeo is still striving on.

Contacted by Malaysiakini yesterday, Fuziah said the participants have received increasing support from residents in the surrounding areas since their walk began.

“People have provided the participants with more food and drinks,” the Kuantan MP said, in addition to the medical aid, food, drinks and other items required that are handed out by her team.

The PKR lawmaker has joined the participants throughout various phases of their walk and would continue to do so.

Hope for moratorium extension

Fuziah also expressed hope that the moratorium on bauxite mining in Pahang will be extended until the authorities have established a proper, standard operating procedure.

“Even after the moratorium announcement, the bauxite stockpiles in Port Kuantan are still left unattended. No initiative has been made to clean up the mess from the stockpiles.

“So I suggest we extend the moratorium period (for bauxite mining in Pahang) until the authorities have conducted adequate studies to establish a proper SOP,” Fuziah said.

The three-month moratorium on bauxite mining is expected to end on April 15.

Himpunan Hijau chairperson and environmentalist Wong Tack also joined the walk for several hours on March 14.

Known for his strong opposition to the Lynas rare earths refinery construction in 2011, Wong Tack has thrown his whole-hearted support behind the Red2Green cause.

“I plan to rejoin them (the Red2Green participants) in the walk after their rest stop in my hometown, Karak,” he added when reached yesterday morning.