Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that he is personally against the building of nuclear plants in Malaysia except for medical purposes.

"Personally, I'm against the construction of nuclear plants except for medical purposes because the scientists have not yet understood the power of nuclear materials," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.

Dr Mahathir said the decision must be made carefully because "once you activate the uranium or whatever, you cannot deactivate it. So we have a problem of nuclear waste which is accumulating throughout the world. This is bad."

He said this when asked to comment on the decision of the government to approve the construction of a nuclear energy plant which is expected to be operational in 2021, at a press conference on the sending of humanitarian aid  by Perdana Global Peace Organisation (PGPO) at the Yayasan Al-Bukhary building.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Peter Chin Fah Kui had announced on May 4 that his ministry had been given the green light by the Economic Council to identify a suitable site for the first nuclear plant in the country aimed at meeting the increasing need for energy in the country.

Don't forget May 13

Meanwhile, Dr Mahathir reminded the people not to forget the May 13, 1969 incident so that such a tragedy would not recur.

"I think if we forget our history, we will repeat it. There is a well-known saying that those who forget the lessons of history will be punished by repeating their mistakes over and over again.

"That is my belief," he said.

He said this when responding to the criticism by the deputy chairperson of the MCA publicity bureau, Loh Seng Kok, who claimed that Dr Mahathir's agreement to participate in the 'Melayu Bangkit' rally, organised by the Institut Integriti Negeri Terengganu (IINT) together with the Gerakan Kebangkitan Rakyat (Gertak) in Kuala Terengganu, which was cancelled yesterday, showed as though he was supporting racial campaigns.

The programme was postponed to another date due to unavoidable circumstances including security reasons.

Dr Mahathir said his agreement to participate in the programme was merely to remind the people that if the issue was not handled carefully, there was a possibuility that the 'bloody incident' could recur.

"I don't know about the allegation (by Loh). I am not going there to stir up feelings between the different races but I am going to remind them that if we do not take care of this problem of race, then we are going to repeat our mistakes.

"If, of course, I go, then I will be called a racist," he said.

"I went through this May 13 so I know the thing very deeply. I think I can help to orientate people so they don’t act in ways that can precipitate into another May 13," he added.

- Bernama