M'sia to forge on with plans for 2 nuke plants despite Japan lesson

Never mind, that Australia has declared it does not need nuclear power or that Switzerland has suspended its nuclear plans and that hundreds of thousands of Germans have marched to protest extending the lifespan of nuclear reactors in their country, Malaysia Boleh (can and will)!

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin told the press on Tuesday that while the world was concerned about the nuclear meltdowns taking place in Japan, the Najib administration will forge on with its plans to build two nuclear plants.

According to the DPM, local agencies will protect the country and keep it safe from any contamination from radioactive pollution or natural catastrophes.

“I'm sure that there are some lessons to be learnt like the safety of the country and the people. But our agencies know what they are doing and they are doing the best they can,” he had told reporters when asked if Malaysia would review its unpopular proposal.

Malaysia Boleh is the government's famous rallying cry, initiated by former premier Mahathir Mohamad in the 1990s. But even the usually gung-ho Mahathir has drawn the line at nukes, saying that the country's enforcement policies were not yet up to mark.

Not wise

Both Muhyiddin and Prime Minister Najib Razak have travelled to Paris the year before to consider proposals from French vendors, who have been touted to have been granted the deals.

Malaysia is looking to build two 1,000 megawatt nuclear power plants by 2022 to counter an "imbalance" in its energy supplies. The Cabinet had in May given approval in principle to the construction of the country's first ever nuclear power plant by 2021.

The proposal drew fire and sparked heated debate but the Najib administration stood firm, saying it was the only way to ensure sufficient power for the future. The response on Tuesday to Muhyiddin's reply was no less intense.

"The decision is completely stupid. He doesn't know what he's talking about, unless he has personal interest in the project. They should think carefully about this decision and evaluate other options. It is nonsense to say we are not in the earthquake zone. We have witnessed this natural disaster so many times," PKR vice president Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

Stick with solar

Bukit Lanjan assemblywoman Elizabeth Wong also pounded the ruling BN coalition's decision.

"Like Japan, Malaysia is also on the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’, the ring of intense seismic activity around the Pacific Ocean. We have already learned that we are vulnerable to tsunamis and we can also feel the effects of earthquakes. Whether they be built on the west or east coast of Peninsular, the proposed two nuclear power plants will be vulnerable to seismic-related activities," Elizabeth, an active environmentalist, said in a statement.

"The nuclear industry and nuclear agencies have a long history of accidents, cover-ups and poor follow-up on safety standards. Japan is not unique in this regard, as it is a pattern found around the world. Britain’s nuclear safety agency recently admitted in a court case that it had covered up radiation leaks from a plant 50 miles from the centre of London. The Fukushima disaster has also shown that the safety back-up plans in place were inadequate. Despite being warned by experts and citizen groups that stronger earthquakes and tsunamis could happen, they failed to plan for them."

She urged the Najib administration to stick with solar power, saying it had more potential.

"The Barisan Nasional government has proposed that Malaysia embrace nuclear power at a time when we still have domestic supplies of oil and gas (albeit dwindling ones), abundant riverways, huge amounts of biomass fuel, and limitless sunshine. Furthermore, this year is not only the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, but also the year in which Malaysia is supposed to become the world’s number three producer of solar cells," said Elizabeth.

"Solar power has been on a downward price trend, a trend that has only become more aggressive as demand for clean energy has risen and more producers have emerged. By 2021, the year in which Prime Minister Najib hopes to unveil his nuclear plants, solar power will be even more cost-competitive than it is now."