MALAYSIAN PM WANTS TO KNOW PUBLIC OPINION ON NUCLEAR ENERGY

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak
said that he would like to find out public opinion on the future of electricity
generation in the country especially the use of nuclear energy.

"Are there alternatives not yet considered, that could firmly establish
Malaysia as a global green revolution leader?" he asked in his blog
www.1malaysia.com.my here.

Najib said that as such, the Government was undertaking feasibility studies
on nuclear energy use for electricity generation.

"I am eager to understand better and to know the findings. If we press ahead
with nuclear, 12 to 15 years could elapse before energy is produced using small
reactors," he said.

The Prime Minister said nuclear was arguably efficient and cost effective,
but the question was whether it was the right one for Malaysia.

"Of course, if we do go down the nuclear energy route, we would not be
alone. And this is why we are looking around globally to learn from other
countries and take note of the advancement in technology of this
industry/sector," he said.

On May 4, the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water had been given
approval by the Economic Council to look into identifying suitable sites for the
country's first nuclear power plant which was expected to be operational by the
year 2021.

Najib emphasised the importance of conserving and managing the country's
natural resources.

"Our non-renewable natural resources are finite. Eventually, the supply will
end.

"In this regard, our current fuel mix for power generation in Malaysia is
skewed too much in favour of natural gas and coal - fuels that account for a
majority of our electricity generation.


"Such imbalance needs correcting as we aim to become a low carbon economy.
Environmental considerations aside, it will simply be too costly to continue
using coal and gas past 2020," he said.

Such development suggested a need over the medium to long term to use fossil
fuels prudently, and migrate to alternative sources of energy that were cleaner
and more efficient.

"This is why innovation is absolutely critical so that we find new ways to
become more efficient as we strive to become a developed nation.

"While we should tap the abundance of sunlight in our country, let us also
not forget opportunities that may arise from biomass," he added.

-- BERNAMA