Thursday March 17,2011
KUALA LUMPUR: The proposal to construct nuclear power plants for electricity has not been decided yet by the Cabinet, said Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui.
The Malaysian Nuclear Power Corporation, tasked with setting up nuclear power plants, would be the best source of information as it received all reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency, he said yesterday.
“I think we have to wait for the report to be presented by the nuclear development agency under the Prime Minister’s Department,” he told reporters after unveiling a line of locally developed and manufactured electric scooters.
Chin announced plans to build two 1,000MW nuclear power plants in December last year, resulting in mixed reaction from the public.
One plant was expected to be ready by 2021, and the other a year later.
He did not answer further questions on whether the Government would still push for the construction of the two power plants in light of the damage to Japan’s four nuclear reactors from a massive earthquake which struck the country last Friday.
In Cyberjaya, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad reiterated his stand against having a nuclear power plant in this country.
He noted that during his premiership, the Government had decided on four fuel strategies namely oil, gas, coal and hydro.
“We had bad experience already with nuclear. I don’t know whether people are aware about it,” Bernama quoted the former prime minister as saying yesterday.
Asked whether he would advise Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak not to have nuclear power plants, Dr Mahathir said: “I’m not an adviser. That is why I use my blog.”
In Klang, Selangor executive councillor Elizabeth Wong suggested Malaysia focus more on solar energy.
“Malaysia is set to become the world’s number three producer of solar cells while we have zero production capacity for nuclear. The Federal Government must start incorporating logic into its energy planning policies,” she said in a statement.
