Charles Santiago

---

Water deal: Stay order to be heard tomorrow Posted: 01 Jul 2010 04:37 AM PDT Sources : Malaysiakini The Energy, Water and Green Technology Ministry and the federal government have filed an appeal and applied for a stay order on Monday’s landmark decision by a High Court in Kuala Lumpur compelling them to make public by July 5 a water concession agreement and the audit report.

Government nuclear pitch fails to impress PR MPs Posted: 01 Jul 2010 04:31 AM PDT Sources : The Malaysian Insider By Yow Hong Chieh July 01, 2010 KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 — A government-organised talk on the nuclear industry last night failed to convince Pakatan Rakyat (PR) MPs that nuclear power is the energy source most suited to meet Malaysia's increasing energy demands. Batu MP Chua Tian Chang was not convinced by the talk, which focused more on the technical issues of running a nuclear power plant. "Aside from technology, we have to remember that there are other things to consider," he said. He said a strict and transparent regulatory system was needed to guarantee the safety of nuclear power. "That is not an issue of technology but rather how we can develop a responsible political system and accurate economic planning." Chua also said Malaysia needs to ensure it has a big enough base of nuclear technicians to avoid over-dependence on foreign countries. "In other energy sectors we have expertise… we have none in the nuclear sector. "We're forced to rely on external imports. Will this have long-term implications for our diplomatic relations? Will this make our country more dependent on certain countries?" he asked. Klang MP Charles Santiago (picture) said Malaysia did not have the institutions to guarantee safe operation of nuclear power plants. "They have institutions that safeguard standards. In Malaysia, we don't have that," he said. The DAP man said that while it was true that France — where up to 75 per cent of electricity comes from nuclear power — did not have regulators for 30 years, it had institutions that protected its citizens' interests. "Here, there might be a leak and you wouldn't know of that leak [even] after two years," he said. Santiago also questioned the cost effectiveness of nuclear power as claimed by the speakers. "The experience in Europe actually shows that there's a major [cost] overrun. For example, they say it's €2 billion [but] by the time it's all done, €4 billion total," he said. The dinner talk, organised by the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry, featured nuclear industry speakers from Korea, France and the US. The government recently announced that a proposal to set up a nuclear plant has been approved and that the plant would start operating from 2021, with plans to use it as an alternative energy source by 2025. Putrajaya has also identified Pahang, Johor and Terengganu as the possible sites for the proposed nuclear power plant due to availability of remote locations that are close to water sources, in line with international rules. However, it is understood the plans remain on paper and have yet to be submitted to the Cabinet, sources said. Malaysia is the first country in Southeast Asia to announce a nuclear power plant, a sensitive matter in the Asean grouping which has always espoused a nuclear-free zone. Malaysia now relies on a combination of fossil fuels and hydro-power to generate electricity. The government will also be linking up with the United Nations and the IAEA for verification and certification on the nuclear policy. The proposed nuclear plant will be managed by national power supplier Tenaga Nasional Bhd, and remain under the ministry. But the proposed nuclear plant is already facing stiff opposition from PR and environmentalists. Environmentalists and alternative energy producers have criticised the approval for the nuclear plant, saying it was rushed through without adequate public consultation given the risks of radioactivity.

You are subscribed to email updates from Charles Santiago To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610