SABAH STATIONS TO DETECT RADIATION

Kota Kinabalu, June 10, 2009: Two more Environmental Radiological Monitoring System stations will be set up to further monitor and gauge radiation levels in Sabah with funding from the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP).

It is deemed necessary to monitor the impact of radiation from two nuclear power plants to be built in Philippines and Vietnam in about 11 years' time.

Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) Director-General, Raja Dato' Abdul Aziz bin Raja Adnan, who disclosed this, said suitable locations for the additional two stations have yet to be identified but each will be placed at a site facing Vietnam and the Philippines, respectively.

AELB is an agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Malaysia (Mosti).

"Presently, there is one station in Kudat to monitor radiation levels for the whole of Sabah through Mosti. The station was installed last year.

"But considering Vietnam and Philippines will be building their nuclear power plants to generate electricity near Ho Chi Minh city in 2019 and in 2020 in the Philippines, we feel it is imperative to install another two such stations to protect Malaysians living in Sabah.

"In fact, Ho Chi Minh city is quite near to Sabah, the distance being about 500km and Sabah is also quite close to the Philippines," he said.

Abdul Aziz said this during the opening of a Radiation Protection Conference & Workshop 2009 at a hotel, Tuesday.

Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Datuk Dr. Maximus J. Ongkili, represented by Ministry Deputy Sec-Gen (Policy) Dato' Dr. Sharifah Zarah Syed Ahmad, officiated at the event. The three-day conference is jointly organised by the Malaysian Radiation Protection Association (Marpa), Nuclear Malaysia under Mosti and AELB.

Abdul Aziz said Philippines has a nuclear power plant but it is not functioning due to political reasons during the reign of President Ferdinand Marcos. But now, the present government is planning to build a new power plant in about 11 years.

Presently, there are four such stations in the peninsula, one in Kuching and one in Kudat.

"Through these stations, we would able to know the radiation level that is safe for our country.

Presently, the radiation level in Sabah is normal and safe," he said.

On the use of nuclear power to generate electricity, Malaysian Nuclear Agency (Nuclear Malaysia) Director-General Datuk Dr Daud Mohamad said there is no government policy yet on the alternative source of energy to generate electricity in the country.

Nonetheless, he said, Mosti together with its agencies and Energy, Green, Technology and Water Ministry are ready to serve if such option were to be implemented.