M'SIA SHOULD GO AHEAD WITH NUCLEAR PLANT PROJECT AS PLANNED - DON

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 (Bernama) -- The government should go ahead with its
plan to build two nuclear reactors, which could generate 1,000 megawatts of
electricity by 2021, by avoiding the pitfalls of the Chernobyl and Fukushima
plants, said a lecturer.

University Technology Malaysia geostrategist Dr Azmi Hassan said the
proposed reactors should have safety-backup systems that could withstand major
disasters.

He said although the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant was equipped with
better emergency safety-backup features than that of Chernobyl, it was knocked
down by a massive tsunami, which was beyond the expectation of the Japanese
government.

"We can learn from the Japan radioactive fallout and should not give a
negative perception that nuclear energy is dangerous, thus frightening the
public on the need to have nuclear reactors.

"We could build better reactors than that of Fukushima," he told reporters
after attending a talk on the Chernobyl Disaster and Japan Nuclear Crisis by
Ukraine Ambassador to Malaysia Ihor V. Hummennyi at Wisma Bernama here Tuesday.

Asked on the effect if the government decided to abandon the nuclear
project, Dr Azmi said it would be detrimental to the country for fossil energy
from oil and gas was expected to end within 20 years.

He said the country heavily depended on fossil fuel for electricity
generation, which accounted for 60 per cent of electricity supply, and only two
percent from hydro-electric power.

"Nuclear is the best option when fossil fuel run out as it is cheaper than
hydro-electric, wind, solar and biomass.

"The media should provide the right information on why we require nuclear
energy," he said, adding that the public's negative perception was emanated by
the Japan nuclear meltdown and the proposed rare earth plant in Gebeng, Kuantan
in Pahang state.

He said the construction of a nuclear reactor would take at least 15 years
and by then the country would have enough skilled workers to handle and operate
the power plant.

Meanwhile, Humennyi, who supported the Malaysian government's plan to build
nuclear reactors, said the public should be enlightened on the benefits of
nuclear energy and address its dangers by enhancing the safety measures.