PR bans cyanide, BCAC Joins Pahang Green Corridors to overthrow BN Government
The Barisan Nasional Government Leave Us with No Other Choice But To Fight Back. The People of Raub Rise Up To Reclaim Justice! We shall specifically assist the Pakatan Rakyat to win the parliamentary seat of Raub as well as the three State Legislative seats (DUN) under the said parliamentary constituency.
Pahang Raub Ban Cyanide in Gold Mining Action Committee (BCAC)
The Ban Cyanide Action Committee of Bukit Koman Raub hereby declares that in the coming 13th General Election we shall coordinate our efforts with the Pahang Green Corridor which is a civil society initiative. We shall specifically assist the Pakatan Rakyat to win the parliamentary seat of Raub as well as the three State Legislative seats (DUN) under the said parliamentary constituency. We are determined to bring to an end the rule of Barisan Nasional.
The Ban Cyanide Action Committee has been in close consultation with the Pakatan Rakyat leaders for the past month. The Pakatan Rakyat of Pahang has agreed to include in the Pahang State Pakatan Rakyat Manifesto the banning on the usage of cyanide in gold mining. The Pakatan Rakyat national leadership has also confirmed their consistent stand to ban the use of cyanide in gold mining and will further elaborate this position in the Pakata Rakyat 13th General Election Manifesto. Such an action will help to alleviate the skin diseases and other physical illness which has afflicted the residents of Raub. It will restore green and clean homes to Raub.
The “Ban Cyanide, Protect Our Homes” movement has been going on for seven years. Every resident has suffered great physical distress and mental anguish. Not only do we have to endure the poisonous hydrogen cyanide gas, we have to travel afar to seek justice and fairness so that we may protect our environment and conserve it for our future generations. We walk from our village to another; we travel from Raub to Parliament; we sought justice at the law courts; we organised a 20,000 strong Himpunan Hijau Raub on September the 2nd 2012. The MPs and ADUN of Barisan Nasional YB Liow Tiong Lai, YB Ng Yen Yen and YB Ho Kai Mun have never help the residents in their fair and just struggle. On the contrary, they have repeatedly slandered the Ban Cyanide Action Committee by maliciously accusing us of “politicizing” the issue of cyanide in gold mining, or the committee” being used and manipulated by opposition political parties” etc. They have refused to deal with the real issue of the diseases afflicting the residents of Raub.
Under the rule of the Barisan Nasional, both the federal and state agencies have hidden the fact that the ambient air in Bukit Koman contains hydrogen cyanide gas exceeding 33 times the maximum upper limit in New York. The Federal Court had also dismissed a judicial review filed by the Ban Cyanide Action Committee in September 2012. Having exhausted all recourse in the executive, legislative and judiciary arms of the Barisan National administration, we cannot help but despair and lose confidence in the Barisan Nasional. The Barisan Nasional had left us with no other choice but to join the Pahang Green Corridor to defeat the Barisan Nasional in the coming General Election. Only when the people of Raub rise up to fight for justice, can we save ourselves!
The people of Pahang must rekindle the spirit of Mat Kilau who had bravely fought the British Colonialists to defend the interests of the local residents. We must continue to fight back and break free from the chains of oppression forcibly imposed on us. The spirit of Mat Kilau transcends not only racial identities, but also the time frames of colonialism to the present era. It augurs well for the people of Pahang to bring back to life the demand for self determination as championed by Mat Kilau and to demand for ” Free and Prior Consent” of the community before any developmental project is approved. In accordance with such principle and practice, we must unite to oppose all toxic and harmful industries.
