FEB 28 — Although the curtain had fallen on the Green Rally 2.0, its effects are expected to continue for some time.
As an experienced politician, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek had a slip of the tongue when commenting on the rare earth refinery plant issue. He said the issue, which was supposed to be a local community issue, has been exploited into a national issue for political mileage.
I do not agree with him. What else would be a major issue if even something related to the people's health and the environment is categorised as only a local community issue? He should not have forgotten about the policy concept of "people first".
The whole world was concerned during the outbreak of the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan, as people were worried that the radioactive materials which leaked from the nuclear power plant would spread to all over the world and contaminate the food chain.
Fukushima is thousands of miles away, but the radiation could reach Malaysia through various channels. Therefore, there is no boundary for environmental issues and the fate of the human is intertwined.
As another example, global warming has led to drought, heavy rains and other severe climates. Bangladesh's Dhaka, Argentina's Buenos Aires, Brazil's Rio de Janeiro, China's Shanghai and Tianjin, Egypt's Alexandria and Cairo, India's Mumbai and Kolkata, Indonesia's Jakarta, Japan's Tokyo and Osaka, Nigeria's Lagos, Pakistan's Karachi, Thailand's Bangkok, New York and Los Angeles of the United States might be flooded. You cannot say that it is just a problem for China or Thailand. Some people's foresight has given birth to the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, and 155 countries have signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Green Rally 2.0 chairman Wong Tack is from Kota Kinabalu. Just like others who are not from Kuantan, he does not stay out of it. Even if they do not have foresight, politicians should never be insensible.
In terms of scientific evidence, if the rare earth refinery plant will not bring any harm to the people, why doesn't Australia build a plant on its own land for the astonishing profits it brings?
The government should learn from China's experience. The number of cancer patients in villages near the Baotou rare earth industrial area is sharply increasing while crop yields have gradually declined. The rare earth lake has also become a massive threat to the ecology.
We should rationally negotiate the fate of the rare earth plant instead of resorting to violence. After a group of hooligans attacked the anti-Lynas crowd in Kuantan last year, about 50 youngsters wearing the Umno Youth caps and claiming themselves members of Malay rights group Perkasa attacked the crowd in Penang, and left two journalists injured during the gathering held to show support for the anti-Lynas Green Rally 2.0 in Kuantan on February 26, 2012.
The use of violence has become a bad trend while reflecting that in the political confrontation, one party is unable to face the issue positively but resorts to emotional counterattack tactics.
After the Bersih 2.0 rally, the Pakatan Rakyat has once again forced the BN into an embarrassing situation. It is expected to gather more anti-incumbent forces, and pushes the next general election farther from the foreseeable future.
The political struggle has entered another stage. The BN would have to face more condemnation if it goes against public opinion. — mysinchew.com
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.
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