Malaysia Keeping Close Watch On Quake-Hit Nuclear Plant In Japan

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) - The Malaysian government keeps a close
watch on the situation in Japan and has been regularly updated of the latest
happening on the quake-hit Japanese nuclear power plant to ensure safety of
Malaysians said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Dr Maximus Ongkili.

Two agencies under the ministry, namely the Atomic Energy Licensing Board
and Nuclear Malaysia have been keeping a close watch on the situation and
receiving relevant information and data through their network with the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Japan's Nuclear and Industrial
Safety Agency (NISA), he said.

Ongkili said the environmental radiology monitoring system at six locations
throughout Malaysia - Chuping, Ipoh, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kudat and Senai -
did not show any significant rise in radiation levels in Malaysia.

"The system shows that the levels are normal," he said in a statement today.

Other safety measures in place include the implementation of radiation
portal monitoring systems at international entries such as KLIA, Penang, Kota
Kinabalu and Kuching airports that can detect passengers or baggage contaminated
with radioactive material, he said.

He called on the Malaysian public to shun rumours, including those
circulated through SMS and internet, claiming that radiation from the
problematic nuclear plant in Japan would reach the Philippines and other Asian
countries.

He said based on the latest information from the IAEA, the report was an
unfounded one.

"The incident is classified as Level 4 under the International Nuclear and
Radiological Event Scale, which is localised within the area. (Three Miles
Island incident was at Level 5, Chernobyl at Level 7). As of 5pm Tuesday, the
IAEA has confirmed that radiation level was under control.

"In the latest information obtained from the IAEA Tuesday, explosion is also
reported to have occurred at the Unit 2 and sheltering order has been issued to
those within 20 to 30km radius of the facility. The IAEA has maintained that
the situation is under control," he said in a statement here Tuesday.

The public are advised to rely on authoritative information pertaining to
the incidences, released by the National Security Council or other agencies.

A 8.9 magnitude earthquake rocked Japan on Friday, unleashing a 10-metre
high tsunami which lashed the northeastern part of the country, resulting in up
to 10,000 people killed in the twin disasters.


The calamities had created an incident at the nuclear station in Fukushima
Daichi, which has six units of nuclear reactors, and the impact also caused the
cooling systems of Unit 1 and Unit 3 to stop functioning.

In PETALING JAYA, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister
Peter Chin Fah Kui lashed out at rumour spreaders pertaining to the nuclear
incidents via hoax messages in Japan as it had caused uneasiness to the public.

"We have to stop such rumours spreading as it will cause unnecessary problem
to our people. Those speculating this kind of rumours are irresponsible people,"
he told reporters after opening the second Asia Pacific Regional Water
Conference (APRWC), here Tuesday.

"We are monitoring but we do not want to alarm our people unnecessarily. If
we are creating rumours it will cause public panic and that is not good for our
society," he added.