Anti-Lynas group demands right to address Parliament
The Save Malaysia Stop Lynas (SMSL) group today protested outside Parliament, demanding the right to speak in the Dewan Rakyat.
The Save Malaysia Stop Lynas (SMSL) group today protested outside Parliament, demanding the right to speak in the Dewan Rakyat.
SMSL chief Tan Bun Teet said this was necessary because the House could provide immunity for them to speak out against Lynas.
"If we speak without immunity, we will affect our case as Lynas has filed a defamation suit against us," Tan said.
The protest by some 100 people at the Parliament entrance came ahead of the debate on the report of the parliamentary select committee on the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp).
As some MPs drove in to Parliament, they lowered their windows and gave the group thumbs up while others honked in support.
They were later met by a group of MPs led by Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj, who escorted them into the Parliament building.
Addressing the media later, Tan said group had requested for immunity during the PSC hearing in Kuantan but was turned down.
"Because of this, we had to walk out because we could not reveal the truth about Lynas should there be is a court case," he said.
'PSC report a foregone conclusion'
Tan also criticised the PSC report, pointing out that it was a forgone conclusion as the panel chief led by Higher Education Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin had described Lamp as safe even before the committee concluded its work.
Lynas had on April 20 filed a lawsuit against SMSL for "false and misleading" statements made against Lynas through news portal Free Malaysia Today, which was also named in the lawsuit.
The SMSL group arrived at Parliament House today from the Kuala Lumpur High Court complex to attend the case, which has since been postponed to July 19.
Meeting the group earlier, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said they will work to get time for Tan to speak in the House, even though it is not likely to be allowed.
"Parliament is normally for MPs to speak. Our bid is likely to be rejected but I will still try and bring it up with Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz," Nurul Izzah said.
However, she assured the group that their concerns would be raised during the debate.
At the debate later, Zulkifli Nordin (Independent-Kulim Bandar Baru), who a member of the PSC, flayed SMSL for demanding immunity to testify at the hearing in Kuantan and accused the group of politicising the matter.
“When they were at the PSC hearing they had already sent out a press statement that they have walked out because we could not grant them immunity, this shows that they already have it set on their mind not to cooperate,” he said.
Abdul Rahman, who was also a PSC member, added that it was unrealistic for the group to demand something that the panel cannot give.
“If what they were going to say about the Lynas was factual truth then there would be nothing for them to be worried about,” he said.
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