Nuke warning to beachfront residents

Malaysian nuclear power plants are likely to be located near water, says DAP’s Santiago.

KUALA LUMPUR: Beachfront property owners may find themselves living near nuclear power plants if Malaysia goes ahead with its current energy plans.

The MP for Klang, DAP’s Charles Santiago, told reporters at Parliament lobby here today that waterside residents were at risk because nuclear power plants need a lot of water to run.

“Now as you know, nuclear power plants require lots and lots of water, so they have to be near the sea,” he said. “So, all you people living near water, you are targeted. The government is going to target your land and your area for construction.”

The government intends to build two 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plants by 2021, according to its Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).

Despite heavy criticism, especially since the unfolding of the nuclear crisis in Japan, the government appears to have no qualms about adopting nuclear energy.

It plans to allocate an estimated RM21.3 billion for the two plants.

Rasah MP Anthony Loke Siew Fook, also of DAP, said the party would start a signature campaign against the nuclear plans this weekend.

“DAP Youth will launch a mass signature campaign to oppose this project,” he said, adding that it would start in Miri, the parliamentary constituency represented by Peter Chin, the Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister.

He said DAP was confident of quickly meeting its target of 100,000 signatures.

He accused Chin of evasion in answering questions about Malaysia’s nuclear plans at a press conference yesterday.

“He did not give straight answers,” he said.

Chin, who called the press conference to talk about electric scooters, was bombarded with questions about the nuclear plans instead.

He claimed to have little knowledge about them, saying the Malaysian Nuclear Power Corporation was the best source of information. - FMT