Australian tells why he is fighting Lynas in Malay

By Debra Chong

May 30, 2011

Albrey has joined the fight against the Lynas refinery from his home in Perth. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — Love for Bahasa Malaysia and concern for the health and safety of rural Malaysians are why Australian Ryan Albrey said he chose to wage a cyber war against his country’s top rare earths miner, Lynas Corp.

The 29-year-old from Perth had caused a stir last week on social networks Facebook and Twitter as well as video-sharing site YouTube when he waded into the growing Lynas rare earths controversy 3,000km away in Gebeng, Pahang through a self-made video in Malay with English subtitles.

“I decided to wage my campaign against Lynas in Malay for two reasons. Firstly because Malaysians love a Mat Salleh that can speak [Bahasa Malaysia],” he told The Malaysia Insider in an interview through Facebook.

“Second reason to campaign against Lynas in Malay is to get greater reach into the countryside. Even though I know that the great majority of urban Malaysians speak English as well as I do, I wanted to make sure this message could make it to all Malaysians,” he said.

Albrey said he felt compelled to spread the word after learning about the radioactive dangers of the rare earths refinery through a video posted by a local online news site.

He noted, too, that the Lynas issue is largely a localised problem that is less likely to impact Malaysians living in the more urban centres on the west coast.

“I think the future generations of Anak Pahang being healthy, wealthy and wise are very important. So I will use any little trick I can think of to make my videos more interesting to watch for Malaysians,” he said, adding Malaysians were generally charmed by a Caucasian speaking their language.

The man who once worked as a 3D animator here over three years ago posted the five-minute video clip on his Facebook page to show support with a local movement to stop the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp) from starting in September.

Lynas Corp said the refinery in Gebeng will be the world’s biggest once completed and expects to supply about a third of the global rare earths demand, which is vital for the manufacture of eco-friendly products.

Albrey’s video has since gone viral, been picked up by other Facebook users and posted on various blogs, linked to their Twitter accounts and spawned copies under different titles on YouTube.