NO EXCESSIVE RADIATION DETECTED ON PASSENGERS FROM JAPAN

KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 (Bernama) - Monitoring of passengers and crew of 80 flights from Japan found no excessive exposure to radiation.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Maximus Ongkili said 29 people had gone for checks at Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) and Malaysian Nuclear Agency (ANM).

"Monitoring via Environmental Radiological Monitoring System (ERMS) in six locations nationwide shows normal levels," he said in a statement here Friday.

Analysis was done on tap water, sea water and rainfall in Kudat, Sabah on Thursday also showed no contamination of Iodine-131 or Cesium-137."

Ongkili said monitoring would be continued to assess the impact of the nuclear reactor leak on Malaysia.

The Health Ministry will continue to conduct checks to ensure that food imported from Japan is safe.

"So far, 58 food samples from Japan were analysed for radioactive and found to comply with the permissible limits," he said.

In MIYAGI, all members of Kelab Putera 1Malaysia who are on a humanitarian aid mission to Japan were reported to be free from radiation.

Medical team leader Dr Alwi Abdul Rahman said this followed evaluation by two experts from AELB and examination by five doctors.

"Radiation was at low level and give no cause for worry. The daily
examination is to prevent them from bringing radiation to our country," he told Bernama here Friday.

Dr Alwi said the team had visited the tsunami and earthquake areas and found no signs of radiation.

He added the effects of biological contamination or diseases like hepatitis A and B or HIV might exist because of the dirty environment.

Japan was hit by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake on March 11 triggering a tsunami that damaged its nuclear plants.

More than 10,000 people were reported dead while 20,000 were still missing.