Orang Asli Community Organising for Ancestral Lands

Orang Asli Indigenous communities in Malaysia are facing serious land issues against the land developers and government agencies who actively log and open commercial plantations on their ancestral lands. These tracts of land occupied by indigenous people for several generations are often regarded as vacant land & forest areas or “government land and are usually not charted in the government maps.

The Malaysian law “Akta Orang Asli 134” (Indigenous Peoples Act 134) does not recognise the ancestral boundaries and Indigenous People’s ownership of land thereby posing very serious threats upon their land and their resources.

For the past 10 years, a strong resurgence of community organising initiatives to protect the ancestral lands and an extensive network of Orang Asli villages have evolved mainly due to the people’s feeling of despair and desire to strengthen their efforts to protect their forest and lands.

The March 8th 2008 General elections in Malaysia which saw the opposition front (Pakatan Rakyat) voted in to rule in 5 states gave them renewed hope and vigour to advocate for their ancestral lands. This new political scenario also paved the way for Indigenous people to engage directly with the state government in addressing and finding ways to resolve land issues.

Today these efforts have steadily increased and intensify in their bid to protect their lands from being taken.

Since the early 1990’s KOMAS has been actively engaged in the issue of indigenous people’s land rights by supporting and working alongside with them the past 18 years. In 2005 through the community mapping project supported by KAS (A German International Development Foundation), a core group of community leaders and organisers from the Orang Asli communities were trained in skills and perspectives in this field.

Community mapping has been one of the more effective tools for Malaysian indigenous people to protect their ancestral land against irresponsible corporations and government agencies. A core team of community organisers has been trained to use these maps for community education, awareness building and also for advocacy work with the government.

Creative resource materials have also been produced such as short videos, cartoon booklets on community mapping and the rights of indigenous peoples. A video film about community mapping and the Orang Asli’s efforts to defend their land has been produced as a tool for organisers and leaders to use in their communities.

Each year 2 major events were also organised, namely the “International Indigenous People’s Day Celebration” and also the National Forum for Indigenous Land.

RUMAHKU SYURGAKU

Latar Belakang

AJK Bertindak mewakili 34 keluarga yang merupakan pemilik rumah pangsa 4 tingkat Kampung Kerinchi. Pada beberapa tahun yang lepas, pihak kerajaan telah melaksanakan pembangunan semula (redevelopment) di kampung kerinchi dan Suez Domain telah dipilih sebagai pemaju.

Pada dasarnya, 34 keluarga tidak bersetuju dengan program pembangunan semula ini kerana:

1. Proses tersebut telah dilaksanakan dengan tidak telus dan cadangan-cadangan yang dikemukan sangat mencurigakan. Sebagai contoh, pemaju berkata bahawa pemilik akan diberi sebuah rumah pampasan di kawasan berhampiran tanpa menyatakan secara tepat di mana rumah itu akan dibina. Selain itu, proses tidak melibatkan penyertaan penduduk yang bermakna dan serius.

2. Kg. Kerinchi merupakan sebuah kampung yang kaya dengan sejarah dan kebudayaan, dengan asasnya sejak kurun abad ke-19 lagi. Pembangunan semula Kg. Kerinchi yang bersifat kapitalistik dengan nama “Bangsar South” akan menghilangkan sejarah, warisan, dan budaya Kg. Kerinchi.

Secara prinsipnya, 34 keluarga ini, sebagai pemilik sah, mempunyai hak untuk tidak menerima cadangan pembanguan semula. Ini tidak seharusnya digunakan sebagai sebab dan tuduhan bahawa kami adalah anti-pembangunan.

Kami juga menolak tuduhan pihak tertentu bahawa YB Nurul Izzah telah menghasut kami untuk tidak berpindah supaya mendapat pampasan yang lebih tinggi. Tuduhan tersebut adalah tidak benar kerana keputusan untuk mempertahankan hak perumahan dan warisan Kg. Kerinchi adalah keputusan AJK bersama penduduk sendiri berdasarkan sebab-sebab di atas.

Akta Pengambilan Tanah 1960

Ekoran pembantahan 34 keluarga, pada Februari 2012, kerajaan telah menggunakan Akta Pengambilan Tanah 1960 untuk mengambil tanah tersebut dan memaksa penduduk keluar. Kami setegas-tegasnya menolak tindakan ini kerana merupakan suatu ketidakadilan dan paksaan.

Ini terbukti melalui kenyataan Menteri YB Senator Raja Nong Chik di media yang menyatakan bahawa kerajaan tidak akan teragak-agak untuk menggunakan Akta Pengambilan Tanah 1960 untuk memaksa 34 keluarga tersebut berpindah. Rujukan:

http://www.ntv7.com.my/7edition/feature-news-en/REMAINING_KAMPUNG_KERINCHI_FLAT_RESIDENTS_MAY_FACE_COMPUSORY_LAND_ACQUISITION.html)

Walaubagaimanapun, penduduk terpaksa menelan kepedihan dan menerima hakikat bahawa hak perumahan telah dirampas dan penduduk terpaksa berpindah. Selain itu, penduduk juga tidak hendak menyusahkan 433 keluarga yang sudah bersetuju.

Pampasan

Kami ingin menegaskan sekali lagi bahawa isu pampasan bukanlah sebab keenganan kami berpindah. Terdapat pelbagai pihak yang menuduh bahawa penduduk tamak dan meminta pampasan yang berlebihan sehingga tidak mahu berpindah. Tuduhan-tuduhan ini adalah tidak benar.

Pampasan sebanyak RM73,000 yang diterima oleh penduduk daripada pejabat tanah (dan bukannya dari mahkamah seperti yang dituntut oleh sesetengah pihak) adalah kesan tindakan kerajaan menggunakan Akta Pengambilan Tanah 1960 untuk menghalau kami keluar. Walaubagaimanapun, nilai pampasan tersebut tidak mengikut nilai pasaran. Penduduk telah mengemukakan rayuan kepada mahkamah dan kes ini sedang berlangsung.

Pengusiran paksa pada 3 April 2012 dan 433 keluarga yang telah berpindah

Pada 3 April 2012, pihak Jabatan Tanah dan DBKL telah datang untuk menjalankan operasi pengosongan tapak. Kami setegas-tegasnya menolak tindakan tersebut kerana:

1. Penduduk pada dasarnya sudah bersetuju untuk berpindah ekoran pengambilan tanah

2. Penduduk telah memohon untuk mendapatkan rumah PPR dan peruntukan rumah belum lagi selesai pada 2 April 2012

3. Pemindahan mengambil masa dan penduduk tidak diberi masa secukupnya

AJK juga menolak keganasan dan provokasi yang berlaku pada 3 April 2012. AJK berpendirian bahawa segala perbezaan pendapat harus diselesaikan dengan teratur dan melalui perbincangan.

AJK dan 34 keluarga juga sedar bahawa terdapat rakan-rakan jiran yang lain seramai 433 keluarga telah menerima tawaran pembangunan tersebut dan berpindah keluar. Kami tidak menentang keputusan mereka kerana itu adalah hak mereka sebagai pemilik. Akan tetapi, seperti yang dinyatakan di atas, kami sebagai pemilik yang sah juga mempunyai hak yang sama untuk tidak menerima. Walaupun majoriti telah menerima, ini tidak wajar digunakan sebagai sebab dan alasan untuk 34 keluarga untuk berpindah kerana golongan minority juga mempunya hak

Pemindahan 34 Keluarga

Walaubagaimanapun, proses peruntukan rumah telah diselesaikan minggu lepas dan kunci rumah telah diterima semua penduduk. Pejabat Tanah juga telah menunda tarikh pengosongan sehingga 15 April 2012 dimana penduduk akan akhirnya berpindah setelah 2 tahun di bawah tekanan fizikal dan emosi.

Ini bermakna hari ini merupakan hari terakhir kami di Kg. Kerinchi. Selepas ini, projek pembangunan akan dijalankan lalu menyebabkan warisan, sejarah, dan budaya Kg. Kerinchi berubah sama sekali. Hari ini merupakan hari yang penuh beremosi kepada kami  kerana kebanyakan keluarga adalah penduduk Kg. Kerinchi yang telah lama menduduki kampung ini.

Isu Pembangunan

AJK dan penduduk menolak model pembangunan semula ini khasnya penggunaan Akta Pengambilan Tanah 1960 dan proses yang tidak telus. Sebarang pembangunan hendaklah sejajar dengan prinsip hak asasi manusia dan bukannya untuk keuntungan dan pemodenan semata-mata.

Isu pembangunan ini amat serius kerana kerajaan berkemungkinan besar akan menjadikan Kg. Kerinchi sebagai contoh model pembangunan semula di kawasan-kawasan yang lain – khasnya di rumah pangsa 17 tingkat yang berhampiran dan Kampung Baru. Sekiranya proses sebegini diulangi, sudah pastinya lebih banyak lagi penduduk yang akan menghadapi kesusahan dan ketidakadilan.

AJK dan 34 keluarga bukanlah anti pembangunan ataupun hendak mempolitikkan isu Kg. Kerinchi. Sebaliknya, pembangunan adalah dialu-alukan tetapi prinsip dan prosesnya hendaklah telus, adil, berasaskan hak asasi manusia, dan juga mengambil kira budaya, warisan, dan sejarah penduduk.

Walaubagaimanapun, AJK dan 34 keluarga akan terus memperjuangkan hak dan keadilan untuk kebaikan bersama, demi Malaysia yang lebih makmur dan saksama.

Ucapan Terima Kasih

AJK mengambil kesempatan mengucapkan terima kasih kepada pelbagai pihak yang telah membantu 34 keluarga selama ini. Terdapat banyak tuduhan palsu dan penghinaan yang dibuat terhadap mereka, tetapi hakikatnya, merekalah yang telah banyak membantu kami selama ini.

Terima kasih diucapkan kepada: YB Nurul Izzah selaku wakil rakyat Lembah Pantai, Pertubuhan Pertahankan Tanah Warisan Kita di bawah pimpinan Cikgu Ishak Surin, Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor dan Wilayah Perseketuan (PERMAS), Tuan Syed Mohd Farid sebagai peguambela, penyokong-penyokong, rakan-rakan, dan terutamanya 34 keluarga yang bersama dalam perjuangan ini.

Semoga semangat Kg. Kerinchi bersama-sama dengan kita buat selama-lamanya.

AHLI JAWATANKUASA BERTINDAK KG KERINCHI

PUSAT KOMAS TOGETHER WITH SMSL AND OTHER NGOS held a press conference this morning April 10th 2012 at 11:00am to denounce the letter of demand issued by LYNAS Corporation Ltd. Australia to SMSL & other NGOs.

Joint statement by Malaysian NGOs & SMSL (Save Malaysia Stop Lynas)

Replying to the letter of demand issued by Lynas Corporation Australia.

We the NGOs together with SMSL would like to inform the members of the media and the Malaysian public that Lynas Corporation Ltd Australia has issued a letter of demand to the following recipients:

SMSL:

1. Mr Tan Bun Teet, Chairperson
2. Mr Steve Hang, SMSL, Committee member
3. Ms Grace Lee, SMSL, COmmittee member
4. Haji Ismail Abu Bakar, Committee member

NGOs:

1. Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat (KOMAS)
2. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
3. Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM)
4. Education and Research Association for Consumers (ERA Consumer)
5. Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor dan Wilayah Persekutuan (PERMAS)
6. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita, Selangor
7. Center Policy Initiative (CPI)
8. Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC)
9. Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (MIPAS)
10. Malaysian Youth CARE Association (PRIHATIN)
11. Federation of Malaysian Indian Organisation (PRIMA)
12. Federation of Volunteers, Malaysia
13. Partners for PEACE, Malaysia (PfPM)
14. Society for Community Welfare and Charity Services (CWCS)
15. Persatuan Perkembangan Kaunseling dan Psikologi Malaysia
16. Malaysian Indian Rights and Transformation Action Team (MITRA)
17. Health Equity Initiatives
18. OHMSI Sdn Bhd
19. Malaysian Physicians for Social Responsibility (MPSR)
20. Lawyers For Liberty (LFL)
21. Kuala Lumpur dan Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH)
22. Anak Muda Sarawak (AMS)
23. Community Action Network (CAN)
24. Pertubuhan Advokasi Masyarakat Terpinggir Kuala Lumpur dan Selangor (PAMT)
25. Water and Energy Consumer Association of Malaysia (WECAM)
26. All Women's Action Society (AWAM)
27. Solidarity for Civil Rights in China (SCRC)
28. LLG Cultural Development Centre
29. Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (JERIT)
30. Sinui Pai Nanek Sengik (SPNS)
31. Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (JKOASM)
32. Peoples Service Organisation (PSO)
33. Malaysia Youth and Student Democratic Movement (DEMA)
34. Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA)
35. Panggau Sarawak
36. PACOS Trust, Sabah
37. Borneo Resources Institute, Malaysia (BRIMAS)
38. Institute for Development of Alternative Living (IDEAL)
39. Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (MADPET)
40. Tenaganita
41. Malaysian Physicians for Social Responsibility
42. Empower
43. Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
44. Women's Aid Organization (WAO)
45. Persatuan Pemuda Hainan Negeri Sembilan

    

In the letter of demand, the legal attorneyfor Lynas Corporation Jeff Wong, Poon & Leong Associates and Solicitors in their 15 page letter tries to defend the points raised in our Joint statement in the form of a letter to the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak issued on March 22, 2012.

In Lynas’ letter of demand, point no.6 stated as follows:

We the NGOs who endorsed our previous letter-statement would like to inform the members of the Media and all concerned Malaysian citizens that we will not bow down to such intimidation tactics of a big giant corporation like Lynas.

Not only that we concerned citizens of Malaysia and representatives of the various NGOs will not back down on our stance upon receiving Lynas’ legal threat, it has actually helped to strengthen our resolve to fight harder to protect Malaysia’s interests and basic human rights against the aggression of Lynas’ Corporation. We have a moral duty and social responsibility to right the wrongs that have been dealt by Lynas upon our shore through its rare earth refinery project and we will stand firm and united to stop it.

We are also aware that under Australia’s Uniform Defamation Law, corporations with 10 or more employees cannot sue; and also that individuals can be “defamed but not companies. In issuing this letter of demand to a broad base of civil society groups in Malaysia, Lynas Corp is taking advantage of Malaysian laws on defamation which also falls short of international standards.

If Lynas is genuine and sincere in its claim that it is following international standard, it would have respected the basic democratic rights of Malaysians to free speech especially when public interest is at stake in this case. Instead Lynas Corporation seems to be trying to silence the truth by flexing its muscle with its power, money and expensive lawyers. Let us remind you about the famous story of “David and the Goliath” where the giant goliath was ultimately defeated by the true and noble David, who used his wits and courage to withstand the onslaught of the giant Goliath who thought he was so powerful and strong.

In that same spirit we will continue to pursue our struggle to stop Lynas Corporation from its operation on this land for the sake of our lives and environment. The Malaysian people will not cow to intimidation tactics by big bully corporations especially those that have a lot to hide, and continue to peddle half truths and lies to deceive the people. Take your poison away from this land and do not pollute our earth, sky and seas.

TODAY WE CALL UPON ALL CITIZEN GROUPS, NGOS & CIVIL SOCIETY MOVEMENTS TO CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE FOR A “LYNAS-FREE” MALAYSIA! STOP LYNAS NOW!

TEMPOH SEMINGGU UNTUK BERPINDAH

KUALA LUMPUR: Pemilik rumah pangsa PKNS Kampung Kerinchi diberi tempoh seminggu untuk mengosongkan rumah mereka apabila rundingan dibuat bersama pihak berkuasa tempatan (PBT) dan Pejabat Tanah dan Galian Wilayah Persekutuan hari ini.

Setakat ini hanya 34 keluarga yang masih enggan mengosongkan flat berkenaan dan mahu pihak berkaitan menunda tarikh sehingga 1 Julai depan.

Dijadualkan proses pengosongan flat itu dilakukan awal pagi tadi namun ditunda selepas rundingan bersama pihak berkaitan dan penduduk diadakan.

Salah seorang wakil keluarga yang terlibat, Mohd Idrus Tokiran, 48, berkata mereka mahu pihak yang terlibat dalam hal ini berbincang untuk mencapai kata sepakat.

Katanya para penduduk tidak menolak untuk berpindah ke PPR Kampung Muhibah, Puchong namun mahu tarikh pengosongan dibuat sehingga 1 Julai depan.

“Para penduduk akan berpindah namun kita minta untuk tarikh itu ditunda sehingga 1 Julai. Beri kami masa yang cukup untuk berpindah.

“Kami alu-alukan proses pembangunan di sini tetapi ia tidak sepatutnya dilaksanakan secara tergesa-gesa sehingga melanggar hak asasi penduduk,” katanya.

Difahamkan pengosongan flat tersebut dilakukan untuk tujuan pembangunan semula bagi projek-projek komersil.

Mereka menyokong bukan menolak

Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai, Nurul Izzah Anwar mahu isu ini diselesaikan secara baik oleh Menteri
yang berkaitan.

Menurut beliau, jaminan perlu diberikan kepada 34 keluarga yang terlibat dan penangguhan untuk mengosongkan flat itu dapat dibuat sehingga Julai.

“Majoriti menyokong bukan menolak. Tuntutan mereka mudah, hanya mahu minta penangguhan memandangkan kunci rumah masih belum diberi kepada pemilik terlibat. Isu ini perlu diselesaikan secara baik dan mengikut prosedur,” katanya.

Seramai 433 keluarga telah pun berpindah ke PPR Chempaka yang disediakan oleh pihak pemaju, namun hanya 34 yang lain masih enggan berbuat demikian.

Kebanyakan penduduk telah menetap hampir 40 tahun dan mereka terdiri daripada keluarga berpendapatan rendah dan sederhana.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO

Keratan Akhbar dari Free Malaysia Today

LETTER OF APPEAL

To All Well Wishers and Generous Donors,

SMSL is deeply touched on the generous assistance and support rendered by members of the public since its inception. No words can express our heartfelt gratitude.

Lynas Malaysia is embarking on expensive PR campaigns including putting up advertisements in all the local papers to assure the public that their world largest rare earth processing facility in Gebeng , Kuantan is safe.

Malaysian Government is bent on aiding them by giving them Temporary Operating License (TOL) when their Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment DEIA) report and Permanent Depository Facility (PDF) for their radioactive wastes have not been submitted nor identified. With the TOL Lynas can go on to import the rare earth ore concentrate from Mount Weld in Western Australia.

In view of the impending advantage Lynas may enjoy in any further negotiations withour government once the ores are imported, we have taken the initiative to work with Anti Nuclear Alliance Western Australia ( ANAWA) to try to stop Lynas Australia from exporting the ores through the Freemantle port. Subsequent legal fees needed to contest the case in court amounts to no less than 70K AUD.

We hereby call upon every individual to extend your helping hand by donating RM 10.00 each to this fund. U may bank in the money to Pertubuhan Solidariti Hijau Kuantan Pahang (PSHK) at your nearest Public Bank branch.As a reminder the campaign to rid Kuantan of this Lynas project is outsourced to SMSL by PSHK.

If you wish to make larger donations please call our hotline 012 982 3302.

Details of the account :

Thank you.

JAWATANKUASA BERTINDAK KG KERINCHI

Latar Belakang

Jawatankuasa Bertindak Kampung Kerinchi (AJK) mewakili 34 keluarga yang merupakan pemilik rumah pangsa 4 tingkat Kampung Kerinchi yang telah dikenakan proses pengambilan tanah di bawah Akta Pengambilan Tanah 1960 untuk tujuan pembangunan semula (redevelopment) kawasan Kampung Kerinchi oleh syarikat Suez Domain Sdn Bhd. Pada bulan Februari 2012, Borang K (pemberitahu bahawa tanah telah diambil milik) telah dikeluarkan.

Ekoran itu, penduduk-penduduk melalui AJK telah memohon kepada Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) untuk memperuntukkan rumah kos rendah PPR kepada 34 buah keluarga tersebut untuk disewa. Pada 8 Mac 2012, pihak DBKL telah menawarkan PPR Muhibbah Puchong kepada 34 keluarga.  Akan tetapi, 11 keluarga telah membuat rayuan supaya mereka ditawarkan PPR di kawasan Lembah Pantai yang lebih berdekatan. Pada masa kini, proses perbincangan dan rayuan antara AJK dan DBKL sedang berjalan lagi.

Ekoran itu, penduduk telah membuat rayuan kepada pihak Jabatan Tanah dan Galian Wilayah Persekutuan (PTG) supaya tarikh pemindahan ditunda kepada 1 Julai 2012 kerana memerlukan masa untuk:

• Menyelesaikan proses peruntukan rumah antara DBKL dan penduduk
• Membaiki dan membersihkan rumah baru
• Menguruskan pemindahan barangan ke rumah baru
• Menguruskan hal persekolahan anak-anak ekoran pemindahan
• Menguruskan lain-lain hal rasmi yang dipengaruhi pemindahan ini

Desakan dan ugutan untuk berpindah oleh Jabatan Tanah dan Galian Wilayah Persekutuan (PTG)

Malangnya, penduduk-penduduk menerima notis pengosongan bangunan daripada Jabatan PTG untuk mengosongkan bangunan pada 3 April 2012. Di dalam surat itu, para penduduk digelar sebagai“penceroboh tanpa izin”.

AJK menyesal tindakan Jabatan PTG yang bagai memaksa penduduk berpindah walaupun isu peruntukan rumah masih lagi belum selesai. Ini merupakan suatu ketidakadilan dan “bad faith” kerana tidak memberikan ruang kepada penduduk untuk mencari penyelesaian.

Tipu Helah Pemaju

Selain itu, pada 16 Mac 2012, pihak pemaju melalui Pengarahnya, En. Abdul Hadi Bin Ahmad telah mendesak bekas pengerusi AJK, Hj. Hashim Bin Selim, untuk menandatangi suatu surat. Di dalam surat itu, dikatakan bahawa Hj Hashim, bagi pihak semua penduduk, bersetuju untuk berpindah mengikut tarikh notis pengosongan Jabatan PTG.

Pada halnya, En. Abdul Hadi memberitahu Hj. Hashim bahawa surat tersebut adalah untuk mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Menteri Wilayah Persekutuan (YB Senator Dato Raja Nong Chik) dan DBKL atas bantuan urusan perumahan. Surat tersebut ditaip dan dicetak oleh pihak pemaju dengan menggunakan letterhead AJK tanpa pengetahuan dan persetujuan AJK dan penduduk.

Atas pemalsuan dan desakan pemaju, Hj. Hashim diperdaya untuk menandatangani surat tersebut. Ekoran itu, laporan polis dan Akuan Berkanun telah dibuat oleh Hj. Hashim.

Permintaan Penduduk

Pihak AJK dan penduduk sedar bahawa projek pembangunan semula di Kg. Kerinchi adalah penting dan harus disegerakan bagi kebaikan semua pihak. Kami mengalu-alukan proses pembangun tersebut. Akan tetapi, projek pembangunan tersebut tidak wajar dilaksanakan dengan tergesa-gesa sehingga menyusahkan dan melangar hak asasi penduduk.

AJK dan penduduk berasa kesal dan terkejut atas sikap pemaju, Menteri Wilayah Persekutuan dan Jabatan PTG yang bagaikan sekongkol untuk menghalau penduduk keluar. Pihak Jabatan PTG dan Menteri Wilayah Persekutaan khususnya patut sedar bahawa sebagai kerajaan, mereka mempunyai tanggungjawab untuk menghormati dan melindungi hak asasi penduduk dan bukan sebaliknya.

Maka, permintaan para penduduk kepada Jabatan PTG, pemaju Suez Domain Sdn Bhd, dan Menteri Wilayah Persekutuan adalah:

1. Menunda tarikh pemindahan kepada 1 Julai 2012 bagi membolehkan masa secukupnya untuk penduduk berpindah.
2. Menghentikan taktik-taktik ugutan, pemaksaan, dan pemalsuan untuk menghalau penduduk keluar.
3. Menganjurkan suatu sesi dialog di antara semua pihak yang terlibat untuk mengutarakan masalah dan mencapai kata sepakat.

SMSL & Malaysian NGOs Statement against LYNAS

Save Malaysia Stop Lynas (SMSL) together with the undersigned civil society organizations of Malaysia, would like to strongly implore you as the Malaysian Prime Minister and to immediately suspend the licenseissued to Lynas and to stop any shipment of rare earth ore concentrate into Malaysia.

The Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) in Gebeng is the world’s largest rare earth refinery project owned by speculators with no real experience in industrial processing or rare earth.  Rare earth refining is linked with serious pollution and health risks.  The plant is located in a densely populated area unlike most industrial estates.  The closest housing estate is a mere 2km from the plant and within a 30km inland radius live 700,000 people.

The LAMP is the world’s biggest rare earth refinery owned by a lone-project speculative company with no previous experience.  Its design is based on the Chinese technology. Yet approval and an operating license were given without due consideration into the full extent of its impact which will only be uncovered through a detailed EIA.

Lynas would not be allowed to construct a plant similar to the LAMP with its associated waste management plan anywhere in Australia. Currently, several other rare earth proposals are being considered in Australia.  All of them are committed to adopting a zero-waste water discharge policy and having their radioactive waste returned to the mine site for proper disposal. Clearly, Lynas has not been transparent in claiming that its LAMP project is of international standard.

Specifically we would like to draw your attention to the following facts:

• Serious construction problems of the LAMP - 22 concrete tanks in the processing area was defective and will result in corrosive and radioactive materials leaking onto the plant floor and into the ground eventually.  These tanks were not moisture-proof, which is a standard engineering practice for this kind of plant.  It is especially essential in a damp swampy environment. We have and continue to receive confidential accounts of failed electrical wiring and installation, failed hydro tests where major tanks with structural cracks and leaks were detected, broken underground water pipes that need to be redone and so forth. A large section of the plant has sunk.  Many of these defects could not be easily fixed or safely repaired. Lynas is believed to have grossed over the problem and have summarily covered up the defects.  The full extent of the construction defects and design problems can only be uncovered by a thorough independent engineering audit.

• The absence of a scientific consensus on what is a safe dose of radiation exposure– There are increasing medical and scientific evidence that prolonged exposure to low-dose radiation is harmful.  Lynas has conveniently ignored this risk and the IAEA had grossed over this point without any substantiated reason. The responsible approach under this circumstance is to adopt the precautionary principle of no safe dose and to impose a zero discharge strategy to minimize risks.

• Lynas will not be able to return the waste to Australia or to a third country. The Western Australian Government has stated TWICE publicly declared it will not accept any of Lynas’ waste from Malaysia – refer to the attached scanned copy of the official statement from the Hansard.  At the end of 20 years, Lynas will be dumping 10 million tonnes (wet weight) of solid radioactive waste that will be hazardous for longer than the lifespan of planet earth.  This is NOT in Malaysia’s national interest.

• No safe permanent site for the storage of radioactive waste. The failure of the AELB in managing the radioactive waste from the Asian Rare Earth (ARE) plant in Bukit Merah casts serious doubt that Malaysia has the capacity to safely manage such hazardous waste. Lynas’ solid waste contains many other hazardous substances and heavy metals which should be carefully managed and disposed of.  They should NOT be allowed to be commercialized either as gypsum or as a fertiliser.

• No Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) - Serious water contamination by the discharging of 500 tonnes of contaminated water every hour into the important mangrove habitat of the Balok River. Air pollution caused by Lynas’ proposed “air dispersion” technique which is a cheap and unsafe way to disperse the polluting gases into the atmosphere. The refinery plant is located on top of a peatland when cleared is prone to floods and fires. The huge amount of fuel, concentrated acids and other combustible substances which will be kept in the LAMP premises will become fire hazards. 

• Need for a Socio-economic impact study (SIA). - The strong and persistent protest actions against the Lynas project is a clear indication of the threats the project poses to local communities. Our fears are due to the potential loss of a safe environment to live in; potential loss of incomes, and decline in the tourism industry as well as the property market. Furthermore outward migration of families from well-educated and high socio-economic background from Kuantan will lead to a further brain-drain of people who have invested for over a generation and contributed much to the prosperity and development of the town and the state.

• Lynas’ unrealistic timeline & incompetence.  Lynas has promoted an unrealistically early production date for September of 2011 to be the first outside of China to supply rare earth oxides.  In truth Lynas has conveniently deceived its investors by attributing the delay to the protests and the licensing delay.  The AELB has persistently assisted Lynas by making contradictory public statements both declaring the granting of the licence for the benefit of Lynas just to deny it in another time to appease the angry Malaysian public. Had Lynas admitted to its own failure, its stock would have slipped to a dangerously low value potentially sending Lynas to bankruptcy.

• Economic activities spin off from the LAMP will be limited - Socially responsible and ecologically conscious corporations and investors will not want to associate its operations with or next to a controversial hazardous plant like the LAMP. Decent companies with a clean and green reputation will not risk locating their plants close to the LAMP nor source their supply from Lynas.

• Malaysia risks gaining a bad reputation as a haven for toxic projects.  The massive amount of waste, in particular contaminated air (90,000 cubic metre an hour) and water (500 tonnes an hour), which will be discharged into the natural environment has the potential to contaminate a wider area of coverage thereby posing potential threat to lives in the neighbouring countries. By accepting and facilitating the Lynas project. Malaysia has essentially opened its door to polluting industry escaping tighter scrutiny and carbon tax from industrialised developed countries forced to cut down their carbon pollution from the threat of climate change.

We therefore strongly appeal to you to immediately cancel all LYNAS operations based on the clearly serious life threatening consequences it has on the lives and environment of all peoples in Malaysia.

SAVE MALAYSIA STOP LYNAS (SMSL)! 

Endorsed by/ Disokong oleh:

1. Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat (KOMAS)
2. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
3. Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM)
4. Education and Research Association for Consumers (ERA Consumer)
5. Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor dan Wilayah Persekutuan (PERMAS)
6. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita, Selangor
7. Center Policy Initiative (CPI)
8. Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC)
9. Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (MIPAS)
10. Malaysian Youth CARE Association (PRIHATIN)
11. Federation of Malaysian Indian Organisation (PRIMA)
12. Federation of Volunteers, Malaysia
13. Partners for PEACE, Malaysia (PfPM)
14. Society for Community Welfare and Charity Services (CWCS)
15. Persatuan Perkembangan Kaunseling dan Psikologi Malaysia
16. Malaysian Indian Rights and Transformation Action Team (MITRA)
17. Health Equity Initiatives
18. OHMSI Sdn Bhd
19. Malaysian Physicians for Social Responsibility (MPSR)
20. Lawyers For Liberty (LFL)
21. Kuala Lumpur dan Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH)
22. Anak Muda Sarawak (AMS)
23. Community Action Network (CAN)
24. Pertubuhan Advokasi Masyarakat Terpinggir Kuala Lumpur dan Selangor (PAMT)
25. Water and Energy Consumer Association of Malaysia (WECAM)
26. All Women's Action Society (AWAM)
27. Solidarity for Civil Rights in China (SCRC)
28. LLG Cultural Development Centre
29. Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (JERIT)
30. Sinui Pai Nanek Sengik (SPNS)
31. Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (JKOASM)
32. Peoples Service Organisation (PSO)
33. Malaysia Youth and Student Democratic Movement (DEMA)
34. Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA)
35. Panggau Sarawak
36. PACOS Trust, Sabah
37. Borneo Resources Institute, Malaysia (BRIMAS)
38. Institute for Development of Alternative Living (IDEAL)
39. Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (MADPET)
40. Tenaganita
41. Malaysian Physicians for Social Responsibility
42. Empower
43. Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
44. Women's Aid Organization (WAO)
45. Persatuan Pemuda Hainan Negeri Sembilan
46. Kumpulan Kerja Jaringan Wanita Orang Asal Se-Malaysia
47. Negeri Sembilan Chinese Assembly Hall (NSCAH)
48. People's Green Coalition

PRESS STATEMENT (FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE)

7th February 2012

PERMAS is totally shocked and disappointed with the recent statement by the Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin who announced that the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is offering low cost housing loans to low income earners from a funding of up to RM1.5 billion obtained from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).

It is very obvious that the Federal Government seems to have run out of ideas to tackle the issue of housing for the poor! The people’s savings stored in the EPF has become the scapegoat of the Minister Raja Nong Chik and the Federal government in their bid to try and fulfill promises of housing for the poor, or perhaps is it a sad but risky ploy to buy favour and votes from the rakyat??

Point 1.
We recall clearly that this same Minister was reported in the Malay Mail dated July 19^th 2010 to have said that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had instructed Bank Negara to take the initiative to ensure the banks assist the interested buyers and that a meeting was held between the ministry, City Hall and bank institutions resulting in nine major banks expressing they were willing to partake in the effort. The minister had further announced a special fund would be set up, backed by these selected banks and that the Credit Guarantee Corporation was willing to act as a guarantor for their housing loans.

Raja Nong Chik was also reported to have said that "There should be no cause of concern for the banks to provide financial assistance to the PPR flat buyers as this is a secured asset." And that the ministry would also continue to monitor the development between loan-applicants with the banks on this matter.

PERMAS questions the sudden turnabout of decision of detracting the responsibility of bank loans from these 9 banks to the EPF. Is it because these banks who had agreed to partake in the special scheme pulled out and the government had to resort to desperate measures to fulfill what was promised one and half years ago?

Point 2.

The Minister was reported to have also announced that “This is a pure business transaction by the EPF with returns of 5.5 per cent guaranteed by City Hall.” He also explained that DBKL would only offer these loans to residents who had no outstanding debts with City Hall.

He also explained that the deal was guaranteed on many levels including a 20 per cent retention account held by City Hall and the EPF and City Hall could take back the property and sell it to one of the almost 30,000 other buyers in the waiting list in the event a buyer defaulted payment for six months.

But once again we recall that in July 2010, this Minister had explained that City Hall is not a registered financial institution under Bank and Financial Institution Act (BAFIA) and thus cannot be the administrating body of a home-purchase scheme and not authorized to offer hire-purchases of the PPR low-cost homes.

And yet today Minister Nong Chik declares that DBKL will stand as guarantor for these loans and will back with their reserve of RM 1 billion. The question that begs to be asked – Can DBKL act like a financial institution and play this role since the Minister himself had explained that DBKL is not registered under BAFIA?

Point 3

The Minister also said that “Not more than 10 per cent will default,” and he expected the figure to be as low as five per cent. He said that those renting DBKL flats with good track record, have good chances of buying the houses and that under this scheme, no deposit is required and applicants are eligible for 100% loan.

However the same minister had informed the public just 18 months ago that "Right now, we have the rental arrears amounting to RM30 million and that the rent arrears could increase to RM90 million if the hire-purchase scheme were to be realized."

Now another question begs to be asked – If the Minister has said that back rentals has accumulated to RM30 million, now what is the guarantee that the housing loans currently pedaled by the Minister funded by the EPF and guaranteed by the DBKL will not go sour just like the accumulated back arrears?

In fact it is well known fact that banks are very wary to extend these housing loans because of the high risk of non repayment or errant transactions happening. That is why for many years PERMAS and other NGOs have been urging both the state and the Federal government to step in to facilitate this process between the financial institutions, the people and the housing developers.

Lastly PERMAS would like urge the government to act as the guarantor to special housing loans which must be provided by a group of banks who must show their corporate social responsibility by providing low interests bank loans especially to the poor. The government can stipulate such provisions if it is not already in existence.

Banks have to start acting more humanely rather than merely doing public relations stunts to promote itself as a caring financial institution. They should start to sincerely and genuinely contribute to community building by helping the poor to own homes instead of merely accumulating wealth to fatten itself.

We would also like to reiterate our call to the government to reintroduce the “sewa-beli” (rent to buy) scheme which was implemented in the early 1980’s for government housing projects such as the PPR schemes. If DBKL cannot stand as the administrative body for this scheme, then make sure to identify the appropriate government agency or body which can play that role.

Minister Raja Nong Chik, using EPF funds to finance housing loans to the poor is like offering housing loans to the poor at the expense of the rakyat’s EPF savings including the poor who are also EPF contributors!

Tan Jo Hann,
President, PERMAS
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Hp: 019-214541

Pusat KOMAS condemns Temiar Blockade arrests

Pusat KOMAS strongly condemns the arrest of 13 indigenous people from the Temiar tribe who organized a peaceful blockade to prevent logging companies from encroaching their customary land. Although given assurance that the issue will be settled in January, no action was taken by the Kelantan state government and the land continued to be raped of its resources. The Temiar people could not wait for empty promises anymore and decided to protect their customary land from the logging companies by setting up the blockade.

We are utterly disgusted with the way the police treated the Temiar people by burning down the blockade and at the same time also the adjacent rest area. The 13 arrested were also denied legal representation as their lawyer Siti Zubedah Kasim was also arrested and was prevented from meeting the 13 who were arrested even after repeated requests. They were put through hours of interrogation and not given any food to eat from morning and were only released at 11pm at night.

This is total disregard to Article 5(3) of the federal constitution which says that “A person arrested must be told why he is arrested as soon as possible and be allowed to consult and be defended by a lawyer of his choice”. The actions by the police also violated Article 5 and 6 of the United Nation Declaration of Human Rights (UNDHR) which says that "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" and "Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law".

The police here have acted in a total inhuman manner and total disregard to the federal constitution and UNDHR. We wonder who are they serving, the people or the logging companies? The police should in fact place the best interest of the people above the irresponsible profit-making logging companies.

“Orang Asli” land issues have long been the hot topic affecting thousands of orang asli in Malaysia. For instance around 2,000 Orang Asli protested strongly against the proposed Orang Asli land title policy by the Federal government on 17 March 2010. Both the federal and state government should start recognizing the orang asli right to land and to ensure a halt to all forms of violation against these indigenous peoples of Malaysia.

State governments should recognize and take effective measures to protect the indigenous peoples land matters and exercise ‘Free prior and informed consent’ of Orang Asli on matters affecting their lands and conduct consultations in good faith. These are principles contained in the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 2007. Incidentally Malaysia voted in favour of this declaration twice without any reservations.

We urge the Kelantan state government to engage the affected Temiar orang asli communities and to immediately find a solution to this problem. The culture and the lifestyle of the indigenous people are strongly connected with the land they live on.

We also urge that action be taken against the police officers responsible for detaining them without following proper procedures and also for violating their basic rights to legal representation and human treatment.

All is not well in the “land below the wind”

Save Malaysia Stop Lynas (SMSL) is grateful for the support the Bersih campaign has given to the Stop Lynas campaign.  We need democracy to get rid of the toxic Lynas project  We need democracy to prevent another toxic project any where in Malaysia.

Bersih 3.0 is an urgently needed action to show the government the people are ready and wanting to transform the country into a truly democratic state.  For far too long we have endured media censorship, lack of transparancy, corruption and dirty politics.  Our country suffers serious brain drain problem because educated Malaysians cannot thrive in this kind of conditions. The time has now come for us to march towards a brighter and cleaner future.  Otherwise, Malaysia will remain a third world country.

Bersih 3.0 should NOT be compromised.  It is precisely because of our lack of transparency and the dirty politics which has brought about the Lynas toxic project.  We need to act to get rid of Lynas and we NEED TO ensure Bersih 3.0 is a big success to bring about the badly needed change.  The two cannot and should NOT be compromised.

For those who are unable to get to KL for the rally, you can still take part in Bersih 3.0 in a low-carbon action in Kuantan at Taman Gelora (www.facebook.com/bersih3kuantan).  You save on carbon emission by not travelling 265km to KL to add to the congestion there.

By Save Malaysia Stop Lynas (SMSL)

Please contact the chairman Tan Bun Teet 0179730576 for more comments