NO RADIATION RISKS FOUND ON AIRLINE PASSENGERS FROM JAPAN

KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 (Bernama) -- No radiation risks were found on passengers and crew of 56 flights from Japan to date, said Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr Maximus Ongkili.

He said passengers and crew of the flights underwent radiation inspection at the KL International Airport and none of them were found to exceed the permissible level of radiation.

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) through the Malaysian Nuclear Agency, the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) and the Meteorological Department, is constantly monitoring the Japanese nuclear fallout very closely, he said in a statement.

Ongkili said since yesterday radioactive particles from the ruptured Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant headed east and southeast to the Pacific Ocean.

"During the period, the radioactivity contamination detected was confined to areas and the Pacific Ocean near the plant," he said.

He said clean water had started to be pumped into the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant to cool unit 1, 2 and 3 reactors to replace the temporary use of sea water.

Ongkili said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that the use of clean water to cool the reactors was better as it contained fewer foreign particles which could erode the reactors.

All equipments in the reactors had also started functioning after
electricity supply was restored in all three buildings at the plant, he added.

Ongkili said the Japanese authorities continued to monitor the environment and agricultural products on harmful radiation risks from the nuclear fallout.

"Sea water at a distance of between 23km and 97km from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plat showed a slight increase in the concentration of radionuclides of iodine-131. However, it is still at the normal level," he said.

Ongkili said Iodine-131 was detected in milk from the Ibaraki and Tochigi regions but still below the limit allowed by the Japanese authorities.

"However, Iodine-131 exceeded the permissible level on vegetables such as spinach as well as tap water in Tochigi region," he said.