FMT Apologised To Lynas, Fuziah Says NO

KUALA LUMPUR: News portal Free Malaysia Today (FMT) may have apologised to Lynas Corporation Ltd for accusing the rare earth processing plant of being unsafe without any scientific basis, Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh a leading anti-Lynas figure remains defiant.

Fuziah who has been the vocal advocate of “Stop Lynas Save Malaysia” campaign, a campaign initiated to stop the rare earth processing plant from being built in Gebeng wrote in her Twitter: “FMT apologises! But I hv NO intention of doing so!

The rakyt does NOT want LAMP in Gebeng & I will continue to be the voice of the rakyat #stoplynas (FMT apologises but I have no intention of doing so! The rakyat does not want LAMP in Gebeng and I will continue to be the voice of the rakyat)

On Tuesday the online portal had issued an apology to Lynas Corporation Ltd.

The apology read: “We refer to the articles previously published by us which claim that the Lynas plant may be unsafe. We apologise for these publications as such claims do not have a scientific basis. The regulatory review of the Lynas plant has been thorough and diligent.”

Nevertheless Fuziah wrote in another Twitter post: “FMT is a media. They may not want to go thru the hassle of court process. But for t Kuantan folks, Lynas is X welcomed in Gebeng.” (FMT is a media. They may not want to go through the hassle of court process. But for the Kuantan folks, Lynas is not welcomed in Gebeng.)

A blog post at Freedom Come Freedom Go stated even though FMT had apologised for its news reports on Lynas, the damage has been done.

“There are numerous mostly opposition-leaning news portals perpetuating lies, when push comes to shove, (it) will have to face the indignity of swallowing its own spit and make an apology,” the post read.

An article in The Choice viewed that it is now time for pro-Opposition websites to be more responsible in their reporting and stop spreading lies disguised as facts.

“The anti-Lynas campaign has been a convenient tool for Pakatan Rakyat to try scoring political brownie points against the Government,” the post read.

“The public apology by one its favoured websites should serve as a wake-up call that the Opposition’s online strategy is misplaced and relies largely on lies.”

MCA Central Committee member Datuk Ti Lian Ker told The Mole he is not surprised with Fuziah’s unwillingness to apologise because she will have to seek forgiveness from everyone, especially those who believed in the Stop Lynas campaign.

“If she apologises the campaign will lose its credibility. We all know it was a campaign by the opposition to instil fear and hate towards the government who had approved the plant,” Ti said.

“Fuziah knows she has been making inaccurate statements. FMT had displayed a good media ethic while Fuziah might have to prove her statements on Lynas were not merely political.”

Bernama reported on Thursday that the High Court has fixed July 26 for decision on an injunction application by Lynas Corporation Ltd and Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd to restrain Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas group and five others from further publishing a defamatory article on Lynas.

By: Azreen Hani, Graphic by: Dayang Norazhar/ The Mole

Fuziah Sallehlynas