November 23, 2012
From Kuantan to Dataran Merdeka for Safe Malaysia
by Boon Kia Meng (11-22-12)@http://www.themalaysianinsider.com
Humans make history; but never in circumstances and situations of their own choosing. This insightful observation by Marx, as he watched over the social upheavals unfolding in Europe in the middle of the 19th century, is a timely expression on what is happening in Malaysia today.
Have Malaysians ever heard of a group of ordinary, fellow Malaysians — our fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, our children — marching slowly but surely, on foot, all 300 kilometres of it, rain or shine, from Kuantan to Dataran Merdeka? All united in a common cause: to stop any further environmental degradation in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak, where stopping the Lynas rare earth refinery in Gebeng, and the Murum and Baram dams in Sarawak, constitutes a fundamental demand.
These Malaysian citizens chose to embark on this journey (dubbed “Langkah Lestari”) because for far too long we have collectively as a nation allowed indiscriminate “development” and rapacious capitalistic resource extraction to go on, all in the name of economic growth and wealth creation.
Just witness the rapid decimation of our natural forestry and the displacement of our fellow indigenous Malaysian communities in Sabah/Sarawak and the peninsula. These have become common phenomena and Malaysians know deep inside that the present state of affairs cannot go on indefinitely without irreversible consequences to our common habitat.
It was their spirit and determination that drew me and my friends to join them in their walk for environmental justice. Donning green shirts and a peasant farmer’s hat, we experienced first-hand what ordinary Malaysians can achieve when they organise themselves, a trend that typifies the sea change in people’s attitude and participation in citizenship activism since 2008.
Ordinary mothers arrange lodgings and food distribution, grandpas and 
grandmas providing moral support with their feet and encouraging words, fathers managing logistic details, while the young, even little children, learn to take their first baby steps in authentic environmentalism and love for the country.
In other words, “Langkah Lestari” epitomises what has been truly essential in any democratic movement for bringing real social change: the twin values of self-organisation and mutual aid. Against these values, no authoritarian state or oppressive regime can stand a chance. Ordinary citizens, learning to organise themselves, little by little, will win the hearts and minds of the majority of the populace.
Make no mistake. The detractors and spokespersons for corporate and vested interests, such as Lynas Corp, will try to justify the viability of their operations on the grounds of economic development and job creation. Malaysian citizens have to judge for themselves whether this “win-win” deal is really beneficial for the country, especially for the residents in Gebeng-Kuantan.
What are Malaysians getting in exchange for the 12-year tax holiday given to Lynas, estimated at RM1.8 billion per annum, not to mention the billions of ringgit of revenue Lynas will generate from these operations? In reality, this is a classic case of neoliberal capitalism in action: the privatisation of profits, whilst socialising the costs, both human and environmental.
In the Lynas case, it is even more farcical, where we have a case of a foreign mining corporation, which is reaping stratospheric profits as a result of the Western Australian mining boom, deciding to externalise its social costs to another country. Instead of acting as protector and guardian of her citizens’ security and well-being, the Malaysian government has abdicated that role for the sake of endless capital accumulation.
It is no wonder that people from all walks of life are seeing through the lies of neoliberal ideology and deciding to leave the sidelines and join this struggle. The patronising dogma of big business that preaches wealth trickling down to the masses is increasingly hollow and losing its ideological hold on the people.
Try telling the Orang Asal brothers and sisters from Sarawak, who are marching daily with their Semenanjung compatriots, on the merits of an unfettered, free market economy that promises prosperity for all. Our indigenous brothers and sisters will tell you about the true face of “economic development”, where countless thousands of them have experienced forced displacement, land grabbing and environmental destruction.
Politicians from both sides wax lyrical about the need for more development and allocation funds for Sabah and Sarawak. They fail to see that uneven development and destruction of traditional forms of living have led to increasing proletarianisation (making them wage-earners, instead of their traditional self-sufficient farming existence) of our indigenous peoples, precisely what a capitalist economy cannot fail but generate.
These are the hard truths made visible by this 300km walk. It forces us to confront the dark, hidden side of our exploitative economy and its unsustainable ecological trajectory.
This brings us back to the significance of this Sunday, November 25, in the history of this nation. The marchers have decided to occupy Dataran Merdeka once they reach there, awaiting the presence of the Prime Minister and Members of Parliament from both sides of the political divide the very next morning.
Again ordinary Malaysians like them face the arbitrary exercise of state power in the hands of City Hall and the police when the mayor of KL said that no gathering in Dataran is allowed without an application for permit. We know that the upsurge of participation of Malaysians in public protests since Bersih 3.0 is no historical accident.
The momentum of people’s movements will only grow stronger and stronger by the day and “Himpunan Hijau 2.0: Langkah Lestari” in Dataran Merdeka this Sunday will be no different. Thousands upon thousands of Malaysians will be there, come what may.
As I sat in the room with our fellow marchers, listening to the children of Bentong sing a song dedicated to their struggle, I felt strangely emotional. It was as if their voices helped us peer into a future of a new Malaysia that is taking shape right before our eyes.
Of its shape and detail, no one could tell with any certainty. But one thing is for sure. It will be a Malaysia very different from the present one, burdened by her heavy history of class and environmental exploitation, and ethnic-based political ideologies.
“Those who do not move, do not notice their chains,” the radical democrat Rosa Luxemburg once said. Thank you, participants of Langkah Lestari, for walking and making Malaysians conscious of the shackles that are enslaving us. Thank you, Saudara Wong Tack (the organising chairperson), for reminding all Malaysians that true emancipation lies in our very own hands: “Pilihan di tangan kita!”
Din Merican: the Malaysian DJ Blogger 
You do not understand that the information you have been fed about the processes undertaken by Lynas are safe. When you detach a serious debate from reality & make a political agenda based on purposely false & misleading information, scaremongering & fear – you immediately set yourself up to lose all credibility. You can quote Luxembourg or Marx all you like – but without meeting your concerns on a valid, credible platform unfortunately, in Law at least, you are destined to fail. And quite right too. Delusional people following delusional unintelligent ‘leaders’ like Ibrahim & Fuzzy Sally… You sow what you reap.
Those who continue to claim that the Lynas project is “safe”
should write up your views in the form of a scholarly article and submit
it for publication in a peer-reviewed, scientific journal
(environmental science or public health journal). We will then see
if your claims can pass scientific scrutiny.
Expat : you will have greater credibility and be taken more seriously if you desist from insults and name-calling such as “Fuzzy Sally”
By the way, thanks to the Lynas project,
Yang Berhormat Fuziah Salleh is now politically unbeatable in the Kuantan parliamentary district.
A true representative of the people, taking action to defend the health and economic well-being of her constituents. Unlike many of the
MPs and ADUNs of the kleptocratic regime currently in power.
Phua, I cannot believe that you’re asking the blog’s resident keeper of the status quo, Hussin, to submit his thesis to a peer-reviewed, scientifc journal – and expect it to pass scientific scrutity? Those are your words.
Dear Mr Bean
Miracles can happen (sometimes) 🙂
After all, Galileo Galilei proved the pro-establishment natural philosophers (early name for scientists) of the Catholic Churhc wrong.
Similarly, the lone doctor from Kuantan who claims that thorium is completely safe (contrary to the “carcinogen” warnings from the US public health auithorities) may even be able to prove all the rest of us
public health and environmental science people wrong!
Funny not one of the MSM’s thought it fit to give much prominence to this march. Maybe Malaysia being fourth best shopping haven is more important to their little minds.
Also sad to read about the death of a superbiker in the papers. But have you experienced them zooming down like bats out of hell on the highway and insisting on weaving their way through all the other traffic? They break the speed limit, do not pay toll and insist that the other highway users that do make way for them.
Let the marchers march – its their right to physical exercises to keep fit but hope they will be environmentally conscious and responsible enough not to kill the grass of Dataran Merdeka. Minorities are now very vocal, disproportionatelly to their meagre numbers, and this is a good sign for a thriving and inclusive democracy.
“Australia is so big a land mass, why not go park Lynas there?” asked my 9-year old…. so please Expat, can you provide a simple non-thesis type answer to my little one? And while you are at it, can you also tell me why is the present Malaysian government fighting its own citizens on Lynas even to the extent of risking losing the coming elections based on 1 project? And who is the final beneficiary of this project ie which ex-politician?
RM1.8 billion = 550mil ausie dollar ….. tats to buy d safety n health of malaysians …… Expat!!! tell u wat sleep 500metres away from Lynas and i wall pay all ur subsidies….. tats how much u r worth …. LOL
there are people who swallow hook, line and sinker the tales told by politicians and self appointed scientists and experts with their own agenda, I call them simpletons.
in the last company I worked for in Malaysia, I found old stocks of five or six drums of Stannic chloride which have sprung leak. my request for funds to dispose of this substance in a safe way through the suppliers in Belgium, who were infact willing to take responsibilty, was declined. finally the drums were left in the company ground to leak and evaporate and pollute. this is called environmental safety a la Bolehland. whether it is chinaman, malayman, indiaman or englishman it is all the same mentality – money comes first and I and my family are safe, thats all that matters.
12 years tax holiday for creation of how many jobs and for how long?
stannic chloride was used as chemical weapon in the First World War.
Who is the minority, Hussin?
CYC, the minority is the green marchers and that is obvious – but that’s good for our inclusive democracy whereby they have opportunity to express their stance.
Hussin – do a referendum and your minority becomes a majority…
God is great! He (or She) created humans, gave them this thing called “brain” so that they can think and chose. Many people use their “brain” in many different ways. Humans are also given limbs so that they can be agile.
Some Malaysians darn good contortionists. They surgically remove their “brain” and stick it up the back cavity between their legs (called ‘rectum’). Then they dig a hole on the ground and stick their own head into the ground, thereby prodding their rectum up conspicuously in the air for all to see. And they stay in that position for time eternity.
Hussin, do nudge your toes now and then to get blood circulating, remember to breath and most importantly, don’t put the ‘brain’ back to its original location between the ears, okay.