MALAYSIA HAS NO NEED FOR NUKE PLANTS

Malaysia has no need for nuke plants, says EPSM

PETALING JAYA: The Environmental Protection Society Malaysia (EPSM) stressed that Malaysia does not need nuclear power plants, citing the explosion and radioactive leakage at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan as a warning.

Its president Nithi Nesadurai said the incident was one reason why Malaysia should not have nuclear power plants.

Pointing out that such a facility was vulnerable to earthquake, tsunami and floods, he said the idea of having nuclear power plants in the country should be rejected.

“We don’t even need it as there is surplus energy supply in Malaysia,” he said when contacted yesterday.

In Malaysia, there was more supply of energy than demand, he said, adding that it was the people who did not practise energy saving.

Fomca chief executive officer Datuk Paul Selva Raj said using nuclear power to generate energy was not a viable option in Malaysia now as it should be highly regulated for public safety.

“We need to be realistic about the energy approach and look at the whole energy equation. Each time a disaster happens, it indicates some risks (associated with energy options),” he said.

Paul said it was important to exploit more sources for energy that were safe, environmentally friendly and renewable.

In December last year, the Government announced plans to build two nuclear power plants that will generate 1,000 megawatts each with the first plant ready for operation in 2021 as part of an overall long-term plan to balance energy supply. The second plant was expected to be ready a year later.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui said Malaysia Nuclear Power Corporation – the nuclear agency in the Prime Minister’s Department – would shed light on the impact of the explosion and radioactive leakage in Japan.