100 HOURS FAST FOR PUBLIC HAZARDS. BY MYAPH

The MYAPH ( Malaysian Youth Against Public Hazards ), is an NGO allied with Himpunan Hijau. It is a recently formed group after the Green Walk from Kuantan to KL. They are trying to bring attention to Public Hazards.

Objectives:

1) To raise awareness about projects that are public hazards and threatens the livelihood of Malaysians, including Lynas Rare Earth Plant, Bukit Koman Cyanide Gold Mining, Pengerang Oil Refinery, Sarawak Mega Dam projects (Baram, Murum, etc), High Tension Electric Towers, Rawang, etc.

2) To demand for more accountability in these highly controversial projects, stressing the need to seek public approvals through substantial prove of safety to public health and environment in a scientific and open manner.

Specific demands:

1) To demand that the Minister of Health respond publicly to the Lynas operating approval, the minister has earlier said that Lynas can only operate if the wastes are shipped overseas but now Lynas CEO of Malaysia has said that they will abide to the rules that radioactive waste cannot be shipped across countries.

2) To demand for the revoke of the temporary operating license (TOL) of the Lynas plant, amidst substantial data presented pointing to it's danger to public health and environment, and irregularities in the approval process. The TOL should be put on hold if there is no proper plan or execution of waste management, as the legal court case is still in progress.

3) To demand for a proper DEIA report to be done on the Lynas processing plant, to be made available to the public.

They intend to hold a 100 hour fast, maybe at Dataran Merdeka ( the venue is yet undecided after the committee meeting on 18th Dec 2012), from 8pm on 27th Dec till 12 midnight on 31st Dec / 1st Jan 2013. They wanted to ursher in the new year with a message to the government of Malaysia. What a good idea.

My role was to provide medical coverage in the event of any emergencies and also to act as medical adviser for the exercise.

I was introduced to this new group by a concerned friend.

I met them for the first time on 18th Dec 2012, at about 7.15PM. They are a group of young enthusiastic Malaysian Youths, and they wanted some advice about fasting, and what they should watch for and how to prepare. I could see that they are very enthusiastic. They claimed that they plan to have about 200 members to fast for 100 hours. I was quite impressed. 200 is quite a sizeable group. I advised them that a 100 hour fast for any healthy adult, should not be an issue. They must drink adequate amounts of fluids, like mineral water. They plan to hold another meeting and asked if I could address the larger group of people who planned to fast. I was more than happy to do so.
I also advised them to better publicise the event. A private fast makes no sense. It has to be a public, well publicised fast, to have any impact.

I wish them all the best.

I was very happy to see youths coming forward to speak out on Public Health issues. This is indeed the beginning of a new Malaysia. Gives me hope in my aging years.