M'SIAN GOVT STUDIES NUCLEAR ENERGY AS AN OPTION FOR ELECTRICITY - M'SIAN PM

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) - Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak said
the government is still studying the need for nuclear energy as an option to
generate electric power, by taking into consideration the instability of the
nuclear plant in Japan following the earthquake there recently.

The Prime Minister told parliament, the government was also detailing
the long-term and short-term plans taking into account various infrastructure
aspects recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

For the short-term plan, the focus would be on the implementation of
detailed studies by international consultants with experience in nuclear power
generation projects, he said.

"The studies include the provision of Nuclear Power Infrastructure
Development Plan (NPIDP) involving an evaluation of the country's preparedness
level in all the 19 aspects of infrastructure.

"Studies are also made on the provision of information on the various
aspects of the usage of nuclear power by all the interested parties including an
opinion poll on nuclear power.

"A detailed study to identify a suitable site for the nuclear power plant
based on the selection criteria suggested by the IAEA and normally used in the
developed countries is also carried out," he said.

Najib said this in his written reply to MP Hee Loy Sian who wanted to know
whether the government would abort the plan to build the first nuclear power
plant in Malaysia following the uncontrollable leakage at the nuclear power
plant in Fukushima, Japan, in March.

He said the long-term plan would be deduced based on the NPIDP including the
development of a comprehensive national legislation and regulatory system on
nuclear energy, the management by interested parties, compliance on the system
of international nuclear governance and the development of human capital.

Following the accident at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, he said most
countries with existing nuclear power plants would carry out a resilience test
on all their plants.

"The relevant agencies in Malaysia would follow the outcome of the tests to
be taken into account in the feasibility study of the nuclear power project in
this country," he added.