Thursday, March 17, 2011

Nuclear accidents and energy policy

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) President Datuk Yong Teck Lee, said with so much negative publicity generated by the Japanese Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants in the aftermath of the earth quake and tsunami, it is has become highly unlikely that the Malaysian government will proceed with any final decision to build nuclear power plants for the foreseeable future.

"However, we should be concerned about other nuclear plants which are dangerously near to Sabah should a nuclear accident happen. For instance, the Philippines's Bataan Nuclear Plant near Manila. This Bataan plant is being mothballed but might be rehabilitated as the Philippines is running out of energy options. There are also several nuclear plants in Guangdong and other parts of Southern China.

"At the moment, the Malaysian government has no guidelines on precautions to be taken by citizens in the event of a regional nuclear accident. I doubt whether the authorities and the medical services have the resources, training and disaster management capabilities in tackling radiation risks coming a foreign country.
"Japan, China and other countries have little options for their energy needs. That is why they go nuclear.
"But Malaysia has the Four-Fuel strategy of using oil, hydropower, coal and natural gas. In the case of Sabah, it is very sad that we are still without an energy policy.

"Oil fuels have become prohibitively expensive, coal has been rejected and hydro power projects are not getting anywhere. The only viable option left is natural gas. But we are not allowed to use our natural gas because the gas is exported via Bintulu to give billions of ringgit in profit to Petronas. This is economic exploitation, pure and simple.

"Natural gas remains our most viable option for the next decade supported by bio-mass, mini-hydros and other sustainable energy sources. But Sabah wasted precious three years debating about the controversial coal power plant. Without any further delay, the government must commit itself to building a natural gas pipeline from Kinamis to Sandakan.

"Or else Sabahans will be condemned to suffer electric power shortages and high electric tariffs.

13 comments:

  1. Solar power, wave harvesting, wind energy, ......

    If we harvest 1% of the wave power available worldwide, we can close down any other power station and have more power as we need and it is clean!!! But this does not come with money pocketed in from the wrong groups! This is an investment into our children's future!

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  2. It is true of this passage...
    and while definitely like-minded malaysian will reject any Nuke Plants Project for the nation instead we have other choices.
    Also,we should demand and urge our government if they are serious about transformation to seek ways and safety means if need arise with preventive way tackling any outbreak tragedy arising from neighbour countries with nuclear plants for future need!
    We are not ready yet for that kind of prevention standard and hopely is not too late to look into immediately rather focus on political issues in East Malaysia.
    I agree totally with the view of Datuk Yong non-politically but for good of nation.

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  3. We don't need a nuclear plant.

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  4. Im doubt that we will going to be using nuclear as a mean to generate power since the tragedy in Japan shows what will happen if things turn bad...

    while i agree with Yong that the government should design a guideline on how to face a regional nuclear accident, there is no need to brought up the now scrap proposed coal-powered plant since it will definitely not going to be build now or in the future...

    whether we have wasted 3-4 year debating about the coal plant, the fact that it was already past & theres nothing we can do about it...

    so what we can do is learn the lesson & moved on...

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  5. we need to ensure that energy resources are used, are not dangerous and does not affect the environment.

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  6. the protest made by all Malaysian is a proof that nuclear plant is not the answer to solve electric shortages in the future.

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  7. "I Simply Address (Arrest)"-ISA is the only knowhow of thing for a decision making to overrule people's voice? Hahaha....

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  8. Forget about nuclear power. There are many other alternatives that can be considered.

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  9. No thanks, we don't need a nuclear plant.

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  10. Malaysia politiking have many exciting and funniest news or clips surround and on-and-on,do you accept since after '90 till today?
    If one were to count on it we can compile a book of special 'politiking' business here ;-)!

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  11. Any environmentalist willing to step in?

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  12. Carson, maybe some international organization will step in?

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