GUAN ENG SAYS "NYET!"

In responding to announcements by Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Peter Chin that two nuclear plants will be ready by 2021 and 2022 respectively, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng vehemently stated: “ The Penang government will not allow the federal government to build nuclear plants in the state!. I wish to reiterate that as long as Pakatan Rakyat rules Penang, the state government will not support or allow any nuclear plants to be built in Penang to keep Penangites safe from nuclear contamination!”

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said that Malaysia's track record of maintaining infrastructure was also questionable thereby increasing the risk of a nuclear disaster.

“With our poor maintenance mentality, even a stadium or a classroom can collapse; what assurances then can be given in relation to safety and the environment following the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear plant accident in Ukraine, that claimed 56 lives and resulted in 4,000 cancer deaths?” asked Lim.

In a recent conference, a participant put this question to Ministry officials: How can you control nuclear waste when we can’t even MANAGE MUNICIPAL WASTE well? No answers were forthcoming from any of the officials. Period.

In another development, Klang MP Charles Santiago said that Chin's announcement yesterday showed that the federal government had backtracked on its promise to consult the public and conduct a “comprehensive study” on the matter.

“The minister promised the public and Parliament that there will be adequate and meaningful consultations with all stakeholders before a decision is made on going nuclear.

“The prime minister in his 1Malaysia blog promised a 'comprehensive study' before going ahead on building nuclear power plants.

“In fact, the premier said that 'all options for electricity generation, from biomass to wind, will be explored' before making a decision on building nuclear power plant in the country,” said Santiago in a statement today.

He laments that the “comprehensive study”, if any, has not been made public.

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