Malaysia is committed in ensuring that
nuclear power is used only for peaceful means in the event the country has to
resort to it.
Deputy
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Malaysia was fortunate as oil reserves
were sufficient for energy purposes at least until 2021.
However,
he added, alternative energy sources needed to be found soon.
As
such, the nation was looking at all possible sources, including hydro, solar
and wind power, apart from nuclear power.
"If
you look at certain countries which did not have fossil fuels, like (South)
Korea, they had no other alternative but to go for nuclear power. Malaysia is
somewhat blessed (in that aspect).
"But
we are looking to alternative sources like hydro and solar. According to the
Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, we have oil reserves until 2021.
"There
may come a time when we may have to turn to nuclear power. But the government
hasn't decided on that yet," he told Malaysian reporters before the start
of the two-day Seoul Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) 2012 yesterday.
He said
Malaysia was prepared for the eventuality, having trained many experts in the
field and taken most of the steps to fulfil its commitments agreed on in
Washington during the first NSS two years ago.
"I
have been briefed on nuclear power. But I understand... the rakyat may not know
much about it."
Muhyiddin
said this was also the case with the Lynas rare earth plant, although experts
had already explained that it was not a risk.
"Sadly,
there are those who refuse to accept this. That is why we set up the
parliamentary select committee, to remove all doubts. But, as you know, the
opposition refuses to take part in it."
Muhyiddin
said many people did not know that Malaysia was already using nuclear
technology in fields such as medi-cine and health, farming and even food
processing.
And, he
added, the rakyat should be made more aware of the possible need for nuclear
power and its benefits.
Muhyiddin
said experts would try to explain such things to the people in future awareness
programmes so that, if and when the government decides that the country needs
nuclear power, the rakyat would not make the wrong assumptions.
AsiaOne
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