A group of logging company shareholders have started a six-kilometre run to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in hopes that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak would pressure the Pahang state government to abide by a court order on payment amounting to RM72 million.

NONE This is the second leg of their run after an eight-hour Bentong–Gombak run yesterday, and in all, the entire run is estimated to cover some 56 kilometres.

The group of four from Seruan Gemilang Makmur Sdn Bhd departed at about 11.15am today from Seri Kembangan R&R stop along the Maju Expressway (MEX) under a sunny day with light breeze.

Upon reaching the Putrajaya toll booth, they completed the rest of the journey by car.

Earlier plans to depart from Bukit Jalil was aborted after the group deemed the interchange from there to MEX too dangerous for pedestrians.

They arrived at the PMO at about 2.15pm, after having lunch on the way.

They ran in relays until they reach their destination, taking turns to run or rest in an accompanying car.

NONE Lee Sin ( right ), who is also managing director, told reporters today before the run that taking turns is necessary because although he feels he could complete the journey, the rest of the group are already exhausted or injured after yesterday’s run.

This, he said, is compounded by the group’s old age, ranging from 56 to 73 years old.

In the end, only him and another shareholder Gan Ee Seng were able to complete the whole run. The others participating are Toh Shee Sang and Chong You Choy.

The company had won a RM37 million High Court judgement against the Pahang government in 2007, with an eight percent per annum interest accumulating from Dec 31, 2000.

Today, he said the government had exhausted all avenues of appeal and the arrears now amount to some RM72 million including legal fees. The interests alone are a staggering RM8,137.53 per day.

Yet no payment has been received.

Making reference to Pahang Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob’s purported statement that protesters may block shipments of rare earth ore to the Lynas Advanced Material Plant but must abide by the law, Lee decried it as hypocrisy.

“I have sent you (Adnan) my court order three times telling you to pay up, have you? Did you obey the law? You didn’t.

“You tell people to obey laws that favour you and but break the ones that don’t. If that is the case, why not just let a gangster be the menteri besar?” he said.

Two-page plea

In Lee’s two-page letter to Najib detailing the company’s grievances, he said obeying the law is important to building a good nation, but Adnan defies it.

He pleaded, “dear sir (Najib), we are helpless. On behalf of our company we would like you to help in this matter.”

Lee also told reporters that he would be around Putrajaya for a week after the run, ready to respond in 15 minutes should the prime minister decides to summon him to his office.

He explained that this was not to pressure the Najib, but merely that he did not want to waste the prime minister’s time waiting for him to come.

After resting outside the PMO, changing his clothes and posing for press photographers, Lee went into the compound’s guardhouse at 3.15pm and emerged an hour later.

He said his letter was received by Najib’s political secretary Wong Nai Chee, who promised to refer the matter to the prime minister.

NONE The company had resorted to various forms of protest over a number of years, to pressure the state government to honour the court order, including hunger strikes and an incident where Gan ( on stretcher ) threatened to self-immolate.

When asked why he chose the long-distance run as a mean of protest, Lee said it was to draw media attention.

“If nobody knows, they would take us for granted. Why would they respond?

“I also hope that with elections around the corner, this lawless attitude would change, or there would be backlash from the people upon the Pahang state government,” he said.