Pahang folk are set to express their anti-Lynas sentiments through artwork as the Save Malaysia Stop Lynas (SMSL) group and Anti Rare Earths Action Body (Badar) jointly host a cartoon colouring and sketching competition in Pahang tomorrow.

NONEThe competition under two categories - children (below 18) and adults - will have its first session at Dewan Balok Putra, Balok, from 3pm to 6pm, followed by the second session at Teluk Cempedak from 8pm to 10pm.

“The repercussions (of Lynas) are far and wide.

"We wish to highlight this uninvited threat near our homes by inviting the younger generations of Balok, Gebeng, Kemaman and Kuantan to colour, draw and sketch their impressions of this plant in cartoons or caricatures.

“This, at the same time, serves to encourage their creativity in a new form of expression,” SMSL said in a statement.

Malaysiakini’s cartoonist Zulkiflee SM Anwar Ulhaque, popularly known as Zunar, will lead a delegation of nine cartoonists to oversee the public competition, which is open free to all.

NONEAmong the cartoonists are Kuantan-born Abdullah Jones (right); Azmie Taha, a senior cartoonist specialising in caricature; Johnny Ong, a newcomer political cartoonist on the Internet; and Azman Md Noh, a part-time artist.

Zunar, when contacted, said it is never easy to gather so many cartoonists at one place fighting for a good cause, especially “when it is a charity event”.

“We hope that through such programmes we can raise awareness  about the hazards of the rare earths plant among locals,” he said.

Zunar will also launch his latest cartoon collection, titled 1MOOlaysia, while the other cartoonists will sketch caricatures for the public, free of charge.