Malaysia: No rush for nuclear plant, says Najib

The Star 2 Apr 11;

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Government is not in a rush to crystallise Malaysia's nuclear power plan as its viability is still being evaluated.

Fully aware of the repercussions of Japan's nuclear fallout, the Prime Minister said: “I think many countries around the world are going through a re-evaluation and we will leverage on that.

“The Government will make a final decision when the time comes.”

Meanwhile, the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry has begun radiation tests on Malaysia's sea water, rain water and soil.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said the Atomic Energy Licensing Board was conducting the tests to determine the density of Iodine 131 (I-131) and Cesium 137 (Cs-137) radionuclides in the samples of sea water, rain water and soil.

“A report from the International Atomic Energy Agency on March 29 confirmed the situation was still serious at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station in Japan,” he said yesterday.

Dr Ongkili said the Malaysian Nuclear Agency would release the results of the analyses of the samples periodically.

The Fukushima Daiichi plant was damaged after a 9.0-magnitude earthquake rocked north-eastern Japan and unleashed a tsunami on March 11, causing more than 10,000 deaths and 20,000 missing persons in the twin disasters.

Meanwhile, the National Council of Profes-sors will publish an analysis of nuclear technology to allay public fear following the Govern-ment's decision to develop the technology and the reactor leak in Japan.

Chairman Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Zakri Abdul Hamid said the analysis, to be completed in a month, would list the advantages and disadvantages of the technology and prop-osals to increase public understanding. - Bernama