A think-tank today reminded the government that its intention to build nuclear power plants in the country will only undermine public safety and health if implemented.

Think-tank Political Studies for Change (KPRU) said the government was being "stubborn" in its intention to build nuclear power plants despite the several crises which had hit such power plants in other countries.

Citing the explosion at the southern French nuclear facility of Marcoule and the Japanese Fukushima nuclear disaster, KPRU said these were more than enough to address the major unresolved issues revolving the safety of nuclear facilities.

"The government's unwillingness to learn a lesson from the experiences of other countries is discouraging.

Mah Siew Keong, who is minister in charge of organisations dealing with nuclear energy had announced in August that the government hopes to table the Atomic Energy Regulatory Bill in Parliament "by this year".

KPRU, meanwhile, said the government should instead explore the waste-to-energy (WtE) technology and its potential.

Welcoming the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry's plan to build WtE plants in several locations in the country, KPRU said such efforts should not be limited at the level of mitigating waste problems.

"It should be further incorporated into the national energy policy so that it can play a greater role in the power generation sector," said the think-tank.