your say 'If the maintenance culture in TNB is a yardstick for standard of care, building a nuclear power plant is a disaster in the making.'

Albert: Frankly, I do not understand why there is a need for Malaysia to build not one but two nuclear power plants. Malaysia is a country truly blessed with alternative sources of energy.

We have vast reserves of natural gas, and if used efficiently and effectively instead of making huge profits (e.g. energy overproduction by IPPs [independent power producers] taking advantage of the lopsided agreements resulting in wastages), would be able to sustain the energy requirements of the country for many years to come.

Not to mention that energy production from Bakun dam and other dams can be diverted to meet the country's energy needs instead of being used by energy-hungry manufacturing plants. We can also rely on green renewable energy sources e.g. solar energy, wind energy, etc, which are also in abundance in the country.

In a country like Malaysia, which right-thinking and sane government would ever consider building nuclear power plants? We are wasting precious billions of ringgit, which the country can ill-afford.

Pure Malaysian: Lim Guan Eng terror, man! By saying that as long as Pakatan Rakyat rules the state, there won't be any nuclear power plant there, it will drive the rakyat to vote for Pakatan in the next general elections. Whoever ends up living in a BN state, will get the nuclear power plant.

Sentinel: The government should lead by example and build the nuclear power plant next to Seri Perdana or in Pekan. They can't even build a stadium properly and the Parliament is leaking every now and then, now they want us to trust them maintaining a nuclear plant?

Anonymous: Here are three reasons to reject nuclear power:

1) We have the Bakun dam already - isn't that enough to generate power to Malaysia for years to come? Or did someone make a shortsighted assessment before starting the project and realised that it wasn't enough once done?

2) Haven't we seen and learnt of the disaster in Chernobyl and (the near disaster in Three Mile Island? If that happens, imagine a state in Malaysia which is uninhabitable for hundreds and thousands of years.

3) We had a stadium which collapsed in Terengganu and a Palace of Justice in shambolic conditions. With that kind of shoddy constructions and maintenance, I shudder to think what happens if just one of the reactors were not built properly.

Not Confused: With the repeated sub-contracting that goes on here, and the subsequent cutting of corners in construction quality, it would be suicidal to allow anyone to construct a nuclear power plant anywhere in Malaysia. It's better to build them in Singapore and they can export the power to Malaysia in exchange for water and sand.

Voice: Well, at least we know Penang is safe. I believe it won't be allowed in Pakatan states as long as Pakatan is still the ruling government. I don't know in which BN states these two nuclear power plants will land in.

Stewart Chan: Consider building the plants in Sabah and in Sarawak. Anyway, there will be synergy in cost-effectiveness as they are talking of laying a massively long cable system under the sea to deliver the electricity to West Malaysia. Just connect the nuclear electrical power to this grid and voila! West Malaysia will have more than ample power for the next 1,000 years.

Of course, the contracts to be awarded will drive the economic growth faster and in much more intensity thus achieving a high-income economy as planned by the government.

Pro-Nukes: Guan Eng knows that once a nuke plant is build, he will be ‘nuked' away by the BN goverment as once a nuclear power plant is built, Malaysians will enjoy low-cost electricity and our life will be easier.

Besides this, the BN government also can reduce the subsidies to Tenaga National Berhad (TNB), which will help the central government save billions of ringgit a year.

If BN uses the technology from South Korea, that will be fantastic. The Koreans have been in this field for so many years already. Their technology is confirmed safe.

Darshania Subram: People only know how to oppose but do not know how to solve our electricity problem in the future. Just let them use candles.

Changeagent: I agree with LGE (Lim Guan Eng). The case against nuclear power comes down to two issues relating to safety and economics. To date, a long-term solution to storage and treatment or radioactive waste has yet to be found.

In addition, the hidden costs of research, waste disposal, decommissioning of plants and provisioning of accidents need to be properly costed in order to fully understand the true costs of operating a nuclear plant.

I wonder how much of this has been considered by the ruling government when they announced that two plants will be ready by 2022?

KeyPohJi: Malaysia under TDM (Tun Dr Mahathir) 22 years of ruling can't even solve the problem of our public transport systems, it takes more than 10 years to only complete the non-high technology electrified dual tracks from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh recently.

What else can we expect from BN/Umno government? Worse still, there have been no consultation with the general public and respective stakeholders.

Malaysiasakit: If the maintenance culture in TNB is a yardstick for standard of care, building a nuclear power plant is a disaster in the making. Power plant availability at best is only 80% even with newer plants. Frequently, power plant outages are unplanned and in some instances, unexplained. Are we really ready for nuclear power given the highest standard of care needed? Think again.

Fido Dido: Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Peter Chin is talking through his nose. Has he got the authority to decide or is it the cabinet? He must look for a place isolated enough to build the nuclear plants. He must announce the location and see which state or kampong agrees to have that plant.

Even with simple national emergencies like floods, landslides, etc, the government agencies failed to handle them effectively. How many emergency drills have we performed for high-rise building fires? BN, please stop pulling wool over the rakyat's eyes.

Multi Racial: It is a no brainer. A big ‘NO' to nuclear plant anywhere near us. I feel safe living in Pakatan-ruled states as I know they will listen to the people and they will not allow nuclear plants to be built in their state. Let's those who love BN rule have the nuclear plant in their states.

SMC77: Nuclear energy may be suitable for certain countries but not Malaysia. Instead of spending billions on nuclear energy, we should invest these financial resources into sustainable green technology.

If Najib insists on building nuclear plant, please build it in Pekan. I would be surprise if he can retain his seat in the next general election if he dared to make such an announcement.

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