RETHINK RISKY OF HAVING NUCLEAR ENERGY PLANTS
please God, let there be no more of this ,ever - Voice from Chernobyl kids
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has urged the authorities to rethink the idea of using nuclear plants to generate cheap energy by 2020.On Monday, it was reported that the head of Tenaga Nasional's nuclear unit, Mohamad Zamzam Jaafar, said that the national utility intended to hire Korea Electric Power Corporation to help it prepare a preliminary feasibility study for what would become Malaysia's first nuclear plant. He said an agreement was likely to be signed next month.
“Korea has about 20 plants,” Zamzam reportedly said. “They should be a
good teacher for us.” Even so, the Cabinet has not officially agreed to allow nuclear energy but Tenaga believes it is not only feasible but desirable by 2025 because much of Malaysia's gas reserves would have been exhausted by then.
Sixty per cent of Malaysia's power needs is currently met by burning gas. Nuclear energy, according to the utility, is also the cheapest option. Tenaga wants the government to agree by 2013 as it would take that long to get a reactor up and running by 2020.
The former premier listed Russia's Chernobyl disaster as an example. “Despite thousands of tonnes of concrete being poured into the site, the power plant is still emitting dangerous radi
ation,” he noted.
And he posed the question of what to do with the radioactive waste. “The waste cannot be disposed of anywhere — not by burial in the ground nor dumping in the sea,” Dr Mahathir wrote in his blog yesterday.
“It can be reprocessed by certain countries only. This requires the dangerous material to be transported in special lead containers and carried by special ships. Most ports do not allow such ships to be berthed at their facilities.”
Courtesy: The Malaysian Insider
“Korea has about 20 plants,” Zamzam reportedly said. “They should be a
good teacher for us.” Even so, the Cabinet has not officially agreed to allow nuclear energy but Tenaga believes it is not only feasible but desirable by 2025 because much of Malaysia's gas reserves would have been exhausted by then.Sixty per cent of Malaysia's power needs is currently met by burning gas. Nuclear energy, according to the utility, is also the cheapest option. Tenaga wants the government to agree by 2013 as it would take that long to get a reactor up and running by 2020.
The former premier listed Russia's Chernobyl disaster as an example. “Despite thousands of tonnes of concrete being poured into the site, the power plant is still emitting dangerous radi
ation,” he noted.And he posed the question of what to do with the radioactive waste. “The waste cannot be disposed of anywhere — not by burial in the ground nor dumping in the sea,” Dr Mahathir wrote in his blog yesterday.
“It can be reprocessed by certain countries only. This requires the dangerous material to be transported in special lead containers and carried by special ships. Most ports do not allow such ships to be berthed at their facilities.”
Courtesy: The Malaysian Insider
TUN M HIT CAMPAIGN TRAIL FOR BUKIT GANTANG
Taiping, Perak MALAYSIA: Just days after submitting his application to rejoin Umno Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today hit the campaign trail for the Bukit Gantang by-election to endorse Barisan Nasional's Ismail Safian and launch his renewed attacks against his former deputy Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.In the past election, Dr Mahathir's continuous attacks against the administration of Tun Abdullah Badawi had largely benefited the opposition.He is now hoping to bring in the votes for BN.
Speaking at what was probably the largest public rally of the Bukit Gantang by-election so far, he also down played the results of last year's general election which saw BN lose its two thirds majority by saying it was exaggerated by the Opposition Leader."That man just wants to create uncertainty. He said something big would happen on September 16 but in the end, nothing happened," he told thousands of party supporters here, referring to Anwar's promise to topple the government by Malaysia Day last year.
Dr Mahathir who led the government through two constitutional amendments which reduced the powers of the Malay Rulers and abolished their immunity also slammed ousted Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin for defying Sultan Azlan Shah's order to resign."I don't want to say much about the opponent. I guess everyone knows. Some of them are even traitors. He said 'pohon derhaka', this is very special, I have never heard of such words," said Dr Mahathir to cheers from the largely Malay crowd.
Courtesy: The Malaysian Insider
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