KUALA LUMPUR, November 14 – Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) and Greenpeace Malaysia have jointly issued a statement expressing their strong opposition to the advancement and promotion of nuclear power in Malaysia. The statement comes in response to the upcoming International Nuclear Science, Technology, and Engineering Conference (iNuSTEC2023) and Nuclear Youth Competition 2023 (NYC2023).
SAM and Greenpeace Malaysia were invited to participate in a dialogue session at iNuSTEC2023, set to be held at UNITEN Putrajaya Campus from October 10 to 12, 2023. However, both organizations have declined the invitation due to their steadfast stance against nuclear energy. The key points of their opposition to nuclear power include:
- Safety Concerns: Nuclear power is inherently unsafe, with studies indicating increased risks of cancer, leukemia, and generational DNA defects for residents near nuclear power plants due to high radiation exposure. Nuclear waste remains radioactive for thousands of years, presenting disposal challenges. Additionally, nuclear plants are susceptible to natural disasters, accidents, human errors, and security threats.
- Cost Inefficiency: Nuclear energy is an expensive diversion from renewable energy, energy efficiency, and decentralized energy systems, all essential for a low-carbon future. Costs associated with uranium procurement, plant construction, waste management, and decommissioning are substantial and often borne by the public through higher electricity bills.
- Environmental Impact: Nuclear power involves various stages, each contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, radioactive particle release, and toxic material contamination, harming air, water, and land.
- Energy Security Concerns: Embracing nuclear power would make Malaysia dependent on foreign technology and nuclear material supplies, raising energy security issues that can be more effectively addressed through clean renewable energy, energy conservation, and efficiency measures.
The Malaysian government announced in 2018 its decision not to use nuclear power plants for energy generation due to concerns related to nuclear waste management and radiation effects. SAM and Greenpeace Malaysia argue that nuclear power is not a viable solution for transitioning to a low-carbon future and is instead driven by the nuclear industry’s interests. They emphasize that clean renewable energy, energy conservation, and efficiency measures provide more effective means to address climate change. In their statement, SAM and Greenpeace Malaysia:
- Strongly oppose the promotion of nuclear power, urging Malaysia to focus on accelerating the transition from fossil fuels to clean and renewable energy.
- Call upon Malaysian citizens and Members of Parliament from all political parties to consider civil society’s concerns and terminate the nuclear power project due to public health, safety, economic, energy security, environmental, and sustainable development reasons.
- Advocate for genuine energy sector reform, emphasizing responsible demand management, energy conservation, efficiency measures, and Malaysia’s abundant clean and renewable energy sources, such as solar energy.
The statement was issued by Meenakshi Raman, President of Sahabat Alam Malaysia, and Thing Siew Shuen, Senior Programme Manager at Greenpeace Malaysia.
