by CPI Asia

We, the undersigned individuals, support Himpunan Hijau’s proposal for its chairperson Wong Tack to stand as the green candidate under Pakatan Rakyat in Bentong, Pahang taking on Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai in the coming general elections.

Wong Tack’s candidacy signifies the frustrating scene of the green movement. Despite the unprecedented electoral setback in the March 8 political tsunami five years ago, the Government has demonstrated an arrogant and irresponsible attitude towards environmental protection. From the Lynas rare earth processing plant in Kuantan, cyanide gold mining in Raub, the proposed petrochemical plant in Pengerang, aluminum plant in Mukah, to the dams in Inland Sarawak and Cameron Highlands, environmentally harmful projects have been introduced or allowed operation in complete disregard of the well-being and health of the local residents and ecology.

Wong Tack’s candidacy is a milestone in green politics in Malaysia, which has so far been staying away from direct participation in electoral politics. Rallies and petitions in the past three years over the issues of Lynas, cyanide gold mining, Pengerang and other polluting projects have failed to bring any real policy changes. The angry roaring of communities and citizens has fallen on deaf ears of politicians and bureaucrats, who care more about the interests of foreign capital.

It is therefore time to have more green-minded lawmakers in our Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies to scrunitise our laws and policies to keep environmental disasters at bay. Wong Tack, whose team has effectively put Lynas in the minds of the Malaysian public, is certainly one of the most relevant and representative faces. In this regard, taking on Liow Tiong Lai will also be apt since the Health Minister has repeatedly neglected public interests and misinformed the public with regards to the Lynas plant, cyanide gold mining and the firing of tear gas and water cannons at Tung Shin Hospital in July 2011.

We call upon that the Malaysian public to throw unwavering support for the candidacies of Wong Tack and hopefully other green candidates. A strong support for the Green candidates may garner enough momentum to bring about a political sea change in this country and send a clear message to all polluting industries in the world: Malaysia is not the world’s rubbish dump. Whatever is not safe for other humans is also not safe for Malaysians. Only with the green voters standing up and being counted, can we hope that the green agenda will be taken seriously and upheld by the next Government, whichever coalition may be.

Salam Hijau.

1. Alan King, vice-chair, Johor Yellow Flame (JYF) 柔南黄色小组副主席郑凯聪

2. Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan

3. Anil Netto, Treasurer, Aliran

4. Andrea Kan, Chairperson, Mama Bersih 净选盟妈妈主席 江燕雪

5. Andrew Cheng, vice-chair, Johor Yellow Flame (JYF) 柔南黄色小组副主席庄廷忠

6. Anne Ooi (Auntie Bersih)

7. Chan Wei See, editor, Sunflowerpaper 《向日葵》主编

8. Chang Teck Peng, media lecturer, HELP University 精英大学媒体讲师庄迪澎

9. Chaw Teck Long, Chair, Johor Yellow Flame (JYF) 柔南黄色小组主席萧德龙

10. Chong Kok Siong, Coordinator, Malaysians for Beng Hock 全民挺明福协调员庄国雄

11. Chong ChunYet, Coordinator, Gabungan NGO Pengerang 边加兰自救联盟总务张峻岳

12. Chua Peng Seng, Treasurer, Gabungan NGO Pengerang边加兰自救联盟财政蔡平先

13. Chun Wahhoo, Coordinator, Kill The Bill, 反对和平集会法令创意组织协调员陈文豪

14. Echo Koh Wee Sun, parenting writer 作家许慧珊

15. Eric Ng, Chair, Sunflower Electoral Education Programme (SEED) 向日葵选举教育计划 主席伍世浩

16. Dr Farouk Musa, Chair, Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF)

17. Prof Francis Loh Kok Wah, President, Aliran

18. Hishamuddin Rais (Tukar Tiub)

19. Hue Sherly, Vice-chair, Pahang Raub Ban Cyanide In Gold Mining Committee, 彭亨劳勿反山埃采金委员会副主席丘雪梨

20. Prof Lim Teck Ghee, Executive Director, Centre for Policy Initiatives 政策倡议中心林德宜教授

21. Leong Mei San, media scholar媒体学者梁美珊

22. Maria Chin Abdullah, women and human rights activist

23. Dr Mustafa K Anuar, committee member, Aliran

24. Ng Yap Hwa, coordinator, Malaysians for Beng Hock 全民挺明福协调员黄业华

25. Pow Kiew Aun, vice-chair, Sunflower Electoral Education Programme (SEED) 向日葵选举教育计划副主席包久安

26. Seng Siew Ping, secretary, Gabungan NGO Pengerang边加兰自救联盟秘书孙秀彬

27. Sim Seng San, vice-chair, Gabungan NGO Pengerang边加兰自救联盟副主席沈茂山

28. Tan Sek Choong, writer, Sunflowerpaper《向日葵》作者 陈式骢

29. Tan Woen Tian, coordinator, Malaysian Youth Against Public Hazards 大马青年反共害联盟协调员 陈闻天

30. Thomas Fann, coordinator, Johor People’s Action Committee (JPAC)

31. Teoh Lee Lan, spokesperson, Malaysians for Beng Hock全民挺明福发言人赵丽兰

32. Dr Toh Kin Woon, chair, LLG Cultural Development Centre 林连玉基金主席杜乾焕博士

33. Dr Wong Chin Huat, fellow, Penang Institute槟城研究院研究员黄进发博士

34. Wong Kim Hoong, Chair, Pahang Raub Ban Cyanide In Gold Mining Committee, 彭亨劳勿反山埃采金委员会主席黄金雄

35. Prof. Zaharom Nain, Nottingham University Malaysia