KUANTAN, 26 FEBRUARY, 2012: Some 10,000 people have gathered at the Kuantan Municipal Council field MPK 4 field for the Himpunan Hijau 2.0 rally this sunny morning, making it the biggest turnout in the protest against the rare earth plant Lynas.

Most of the participants were donned in green t-shirts.

Among the attendees were Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua, Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh, Kuala Langat MP Abdullah Sani, national laureate Datuk A Samad Said and Hishammuddin Rais.

Some of them were also carrying banners written with 'Stop Lynas, Save Malaysia'   

The crowd is still growing of as demonstrators show their dissatisfaction over the government’s recent decision issue a temporary operating license (TOL) to the rare earth refinery Lynas which is being constructed in Gebeng, near here which they fear will pose radioactive risks.

The rally – dubbed Himpunan Hijau 2.0 (Green Gathering 2.0) – seeks to gather 20,000 people from all over the country.

Pakatan Rakyat's top leaders have also pledged to attend the event, in protest of the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp).

In a nod to the newly passed Peaceful Assembly Act 2011, the police have sanctioned the rally, albeit at the eleventh hour, and imposed 12 conditions. Rally organizers have agreed to the conditions.

The two-hour event was scheduled to kick off at 10am.

- mD