Protesters out in force in Malaysia

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http://www.todayonline.com/World/EDC121126-0000037/Protesters-out-in-force-in-Malaysia

Thousands of demonstrators turned out in force in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding areas yesterday, in two separate protests against the politically sensitive issues of vernacular education and a rare-earths plant that critics claim causes environmental damage.

In Petaling Jeya, just outside Kuala Lumpur, thousands took over a football field yesterday during a rally organised by Chinese education group Dong Zong to protest against the government's newly-announced National Education Blueprint (NEB), over fears that vernacular schools will be sidelined.

Education remains a critical and sensitive issue for the Chinese community, with some voicing their disgruntlement over the shortage of teachers in Chinese primary schools, among other things.

Meanwhile, several thousand protesters demonstrating against the Lynas rare earths plant in Pahang, which is set to start operations soon, arrived yesterday afternoon at the iconic Dataran Merdeka square in Kuala Lumpur, the scene of major rallies in the past.

The protesters from the Himpunan Hijau group vowed to stay overnight at Dataran Merdeka after arriving there following a 13-day, 300-km march from Kuantan in Pahang, where the plant is sited, reports said.

Unprecedented public anger against the Lynas plant has been fuelling Malaysia's green movement that could affect voter sentiment ahead of key national polls due soon.