Malaysia Govt To Determine Whether To Send Smart Team To Japan

TANJONG KARANG (Bernama) - Prime Minister Najib Tun
Razak said Tuesday that the government would evaluate whether Malaysia should
send a Special Malaysian Search and Rescue Team (SMART) to assist the Japanese
government.

He said that so far, the Japanese government had not given any agreement on
the participation of SMART in search and rescue efforts following the earthquake
and tsunami that struck the country because the situation there was still
uncertain and it was difficult for outsiders to operate there.

"That's why the SMART team could not move yet and we will evaluate the
situation whether to send a team later or not," he said at a press conference
after launching the 'Program Nadi Kasih' (Heart of Love) at Kg Sungai
Gulang-Gulang, here.

Asked on the threat of nuclear radiation following the explosion at the
Fukushima Daiichi generation plant in that country, he said : "That is one of
the factors... it means that the situation concerning the damage at the nuclear
generation plant there poses a high risk unless the authorities in Japan knows
to what extent the damage poses a danger to radiation exposure."

Japan was struck by a 8.9 magnitude earthquake which resulted in a 10-metre
high tsunami in the north-eastern region on the country on Friday.


In KUALA LUMPUR, the Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia, Masahiko Horie said
the Japanese government was not ready to accept too many incoming aid and
voluntarily missions from other countries including Malaysia as the strong
earthquake and tsunami that hit the country on Friday had damaged many parts of
the country and affected its governance system.

He said the situation in the country was still bad and all personnel in the
government ministries and agencies had been directed to coordinate the search
and rescue efforts.

"The situation is bad. All the people who are working with all ministries
now have to engage with all the problems occurring after the earthquake.

"For now, we may not be ready yet to receive more countries and volunteers
with good intentions to help out in resolving the problems," he told a press
conference at the embassy, here Tuesday.

Malaysia's National Security Council is still waiting for approval from the
Japanese Government to land at Haneda International Airport, Tokyo and provide
search and rescue aid.


Masahiko also explained that Japan was a country consisting of many small
villages especially in the rural areas and that made it difficult to record the
number of missing persons.

"We are still searching and as we continue, we found hundreds of dead bodies
trapped under damaged houses ...yet we are still unable to detect how many are
still missing," he said.

On the Nuclear Power Plant, Masahiko said all Fukushima Daiichi personnel
were focusing on stopping the leakage of radioactive materials as well as trying
to stabilize it.

"Our Prime Minister Naoto Kan had ordered the evacuation of people staying
within a 20km radius from the nuclear plant.

"People outside 20-30km radius are advised not to get out of their house to
avoid the radiation effect," he said.

The Reactor in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant exploded on Saturday causing
leakage of radioactive materials.

Masahiko also said that the Japanese government appreciated the condolence
messages sent by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Foreign
Affairs Minister Anifah Aman.

Tanjung Karang is a main fishing and paddy growing town in Selangor, which
is situated on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.