GE13 WATCH With the anti-Lynas drive becoming a national movement since its first protest on Mother's Day in 2011, political pundits believe the rare earths refinery may be a crucial, if not the top concern, of voters in Kuantan and in Pahang overall.

However, the reality could well be way off what the pundits predict.

Local leaders of both BN and Pakatan Rakyat say the voters in Kuantan and Indera Mahkota, who live in the vicinity of the Lynas rare earths plant in Gebeng, do not particularly consider the refinery to be their main issue.

The reason is that the anti-Lynas NGOs, whether Save Malaysia Stop Lynas or the more prominent Himpunan Hijau, have not been able to effectively convey the environmental and health safety concerns to the Malay voters...