your say'I'm not going to stake the lives of my family on any governmental agencies doing their ‘best' because I know that at best, it would be mediocre...'

Malaysia to press on with nuke ambition

Anonymous_4196: Switzerland and Germany are suspending their nuclear energy programme because there are too much risks when facing calamity. And Malaysia is pushing forward with it?

Firstly, we don't have the financial resources to do it. Secondly, we don't have the expertise to execute and maintain it. Thirdly, we don't have a track record of executing any programme/development with excellence.

Lastly, why not look at other natural resources such - sun, wind, etc. We are asking for trouble if we push ahead with nuclear power.

Quigonbond: I'm not going to stake the lives of my family on any current governmental agencies doing their 'best' because I know that at best, it would be mediocre for the most parts.

The so-called regulatory agencies haven't even pieced together and comment on what's happening in Fukushima to allay Malaysian concerns on whether radiation fallout will reach Malaysian shores and how Malaysians should protect themselves.

It demonstrates a failure of leadership, a failure of anticipation and foresight and a failure of understanding public concerns. If that's the kind of leadership that will monitor the development of our nuclear plants, we are headed for disaster of unmitigated scale.

Let's not even look so far as nuclear plants. Our MRT (Mass Rail Transit) plan is in disarray with the failure to integrate road transportation and other rail systems, and the failure to anticipate an actually much higher cost.

AlexToo: The contractors, the 'commissions', the share options of the GLCs/organisations that are going to manage the plants, the cronies that are going to sit on the boards and the mouth-watering prospect of high salaries have been planned and arranged.

Who cares about how some Malaysians feel? If there is a meltdown, we can always take the first flight out of Malaysia to some seaside bungalow overseas and watch on TV how those poor Malaysians die.

Onyourtoes: If the Japanese, with their perfectionist culture, know not what they are doing, would the jokers here know what they are doing?

This is a typical case of jokers not even knowing what they are talking about. But then, maybe it's the big contracts and big consultancy studies on the pipeline that are too lucrative to give up.

Bluemountains: DPM Muhyiddin Yassin, you must remember you are not God and therefore cannot guarantee the safety of the rakyat. If you still insist, then build one in Putrajaya and the other in Pekan.

Jimmy Ng: I agree. Go ahead and build one nuclear power plant in Putrajaya. The other plant can be built either in Pagoh, Johor or Pekan, Pahang.

I am sure the PM Najib Razak and Muhyiddin's constituents will be very happy and pleased to have these two nuclear plants right at their doorsteps so that they can enjoy unlimited supply of electricity.

2CTSWorth: Sorry, we have no confidence in the government's management of such a highly explosive project as nuclear power plants.

While there have been only a few collapsed buildings, leaking roofs, incomplete construction and cost inflation as these projects proceed, maintenance is almost non-existent on the government's part.

We're not talking about water leaking through the roof this time. It's radioactive materials. Spare us the anxieties and possible disaster.

Helen Yeap: I wonder how many billions of ringgit the DPM, PM and other BN cronies are going to reap from this grandiose nuke ambition of theirs.

If a disciplined, industrious and intelligent nation like Japan cannot even contain the nuclear fallout from reactors of which they had no less than three levels of containment, I shudder to think what would happen when some idiots here (and there is a high proportion of them in Malaysia) cause a massive meltdown in Malaysia.

We have first-hand experience of our local agencies' level of competency and efficiency and going nuclear sure looks like a one-way elevator to hell for the Malaysian population. Boy, am I glad I don't have descendants to worry about.

Malaysiasakit: Is the DPM too dense to understand the overriding risks in having a nuclear plant? It is not just about putting in safety measures, it is also the whole maintenance culture, the associated costs which includes the risk of a meltdown.

In the case of Japan, all three back-up systems failed and they are attempting to ‘kill' it by drowning the reactors with sea water. What the DPM doesn't or refuses to understand is a nuclear plant may make the country appear to be developed, it actually becomes a monster when it is out of control. Is it worthwhile when there are alternatives?

Changeagent: The DPM has completely missed the point. The matter remains that Malaysians do not believe that the government has the capability nor track record to put rigorous safety regulations in place to ensure that the nuclear power is generated safely and responsibly.

Even Japan has not been completely forthcoming with their own nuclear-related issues. According to a 2008 US embassy cable revealed by WikiLeaks, the Japanese ministry in charge of nuclear energy had been "covering up nuclear accidents and obscuring the true costs and problems associated with the nuclear industry".

Muhyiddin is extremely naive to think that Malaysia's nuclear plants will be failsafe based on the mere knowledge that our agencies are "doing the best they can". Either that or he thinks that most Malaysians are as naive as him.

SusahKes: "Our agencies know what they're doing." Yeah, right. Beli submarine pun tak pandai, bina kereta ‘power windows' selalu rosak, bina stadium atap roboh - orang macam ini nak mengendalikan nuclear power station, ka?

Think: It is not necessary to have everything your neighbour has. It is not necessary to have more than you need if you are doing fine with what you already have. It is not necessary to have something that has potential harm on a massive scale.

Joker: Switzerland has put on hold its nuclear plant approvals and Germany has scrapped plans to extend its existing plants' life. These are developed nations with extreme engineering expertise.

Malaysia may not have big earthquakes but Malaysia do have frequent incidents of roof collapsing (stadium, Parliament, hospitals) and leaking roof (court complex, Parliament, hospitals). Imagine if we have a leaking or collapsing nuclear plant.

 

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