Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
| Posted: 29 Nov 2011 04:59 PM PST By A Young Malaysian via The Malaysian Insider Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil says that if she resigns over the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail must also quit as PKR president over her husband's criminal charge. Rubbish. The two are not the same. The NFC, now being investigated for criminal breach of trust by the police, involves RM250 million in taxpayers' monies and is, therefore, a matter of public interest. On the other hand, the sodomy charge against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, even if not politically motivated as claimed by critics, is essentially a personal matter. Whether or not Shahrizat really helped her husband secure the NFC contract as alleged by the opposition is of no matter, at least politically. There is enough going against the NFC, with all the unrefuted claims that public funds meant for the cattle scheme were used for personal ends, that she should step down as soon as possible to avoid any hint of impropriety. Further attempts by Shahrizat to hold on to her post will only drag the party down further at a time when it can ill afford to be tainted by a scandal of this nature. That's the nature of guilt by association, which, unfortunately for the (unelected) federal minister, damages her case more than she realises. So, dear Shahrizat, please stop using the Umno general assembly pulpit to defend the indefensible or attempt to deflect blame by pointing to the other side and shouting, "You too!" It's a downright embarrassment every time you open your mouth to do that. Whether you like it or not, it's time to go. If not for the people, then at least for the sake of the party. Maybe you'll be rehabilitated after a stint in political wilderness, maybe not. But at least Umno will stand a better chance of surviving the NFC fallout without you. |
| Lynas Out Of Malaysia: Stop Exporting A Toxic Legacy Posted: 29 Nov 2011 09:28 AM PST By Save Malaysia! Stop Lynas! SYDNEY. Today a protest in solidarity with the Save Malaysia! Stop Lynas! Campaign will take place outside Australian rare earth mining company, Lynas' Annual General Meeting in Sydney. The protest voices concerns about the potential toxic and hazardous impacts on the lives and livelihoods of local communities in Malaysia which would include a waste stream containing 106 tonnes of radioactive thorium and 5.6 tonnes of uranium and the fact that there has been no consent from the local communities surrounding the plant for the operation to go ahead. Aimee Bull-McMahon, from Friends of the Earth Sydney said, "We are outside the Lynas shareholder meeting today to demand Lynas to get out of Malaysia." "Communities should have access to free, independent and accessible information before a decision is made about mining or any other developments that threaten their lives and livelihoods and also have the right and freedom to say yes or no." On 4th August 2011 Lynas opened their Mt Weld rare earth mine in the Northern Goldfields of Western Australia. Lynas wants to export the rare earth ore out of Fremantle to Kuantan, Malaysia. The controversial Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) is the target of the largest environmental justice action in the history of Malaysia with opposition from thousands of local community, environment groups, the Malaysian Medical Association and the Bar Council (the association of lawyers in Malaysia). Wen Kheng Ooi, a Malaysian diaspora living in Australia with relatives in Kuantan who will be affected by the pollution from the Lynas' rare earth plant if the project goes ahead said, "I am protesting at the Lynas AGM because I do not want to see Malaysia being used as a toxic waste dump for Lynas. I have relatives living close to the plant. They will be directly affected by the radioactive waste from the Lynas plant if the project goes ahead." Jade Lee, spokesperson for the community organisation SMSL in Malaysia said, "We formed SMSL within weeks to provide a platform and avenues for residents to campaign against the plant. We were never consulted about the project. Malaysia does not have a good track record in managing pollution." "We will fight till the end to stop the project. We are doing this for our family and the future generations. It is unacceptable for Lynas to simply dump it's toxic waste here in Malaysia to contaminate our land and our food chain" Ms Bull-McMahon, "Where is the exact site which has been chosen for the waste disposal? Why was this site chosen? How much storage capacity for radioactive waste does this site have and for how many years of waste has the site got room for? What other plans are in the pipeline for dealing with the waste?" "It is not good enough to leave local residents in the dark about the long term implication of how this facility will deal with its radioactive thorium and caustic waste products." |
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