Malaysia Maju 2020

Malaysia, is a federation consisting of thirteen independent states which include Perlis Indera Kayangan, Kedah Darul Aman, Penang The Pearl Island, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Kelantan Darul Naim, Terengganu Darul Iman, Pahang Darul Makmur, Johor Darul Takzim, The Historical State of Melaka, Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Sabah The Land Below The Wind, and Sarawak the Land of the Hornbills; together with the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya. The capital and largest city is Kuala Lumpur, while the seat of government administration is in Putrajaya. Labuan is designated as an offshore financial centre. Malaysia is the third largest economy in South East Asia, with the third highest GDP per capita. It is an advance emerging market nation, with a population of 28 million people and the leader in Islamic financial services in the world. Malaysia aspires to become a developed, high-income nation by the year 2020, when it aims to achieve per capita GDP of US$15,000, from US$8,000 now.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Singapore to Venture into Nuclear Power

Singapore is studying the possibility for the city-state to utilize nuclear technology for its future power generation.

According to the state's senior minister for trade, industry and education S Iswaran that the government of the city-state has begun preliminary studies on the possibility of the city-state to use nuclear in power generation.

Asian countries has been ambitious in their planning in utilizing nuclear as an energy source, with Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia has stated their plans to do so in the next decade or so.

However, due to the Japan's earthquake and tsunami which devastated much of the country's north eastern shores last month, which triggered nuclear crisis due to the destruction of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Sendai prefecture, which was caused by the earthquake and tsunami, many Asian countries has put their nuclear ambition on hold.

Risks for earthquake and tsunami is very much high in countries which is situated on the pacific ring of fire, which includes the Phillipines and Indonesia. Indonesia has stated their plans for a nuclear power plant, but stated that they will undertake the highest level of safety precautions if they were to build and commission nuclear power plants for energy generation of the country.

Thailand, though not directly located on the pacific ring of fire, has put their nuclear power plants plans on hold in reaction to the Japan's nuclear crisis in Fukushima. Malaysia has also postponed such plans, as it incurs high capital outlay and there are still more studies should be conducted in the event of nuclear power plant to be commissioned in the country.

Geographically, Singapore is not an earthquake prone island, but its tiny size will make it highly risky for the island-state to commission such a highly dangerous undertakings, even though the Singapore government could boasts of having the best safety precautions for a nuclear power plant to be commissioned there.

Maybe the best option would be for ASEAN member countries to come out with a joint regulation for any member countries to venture into nuclear power plant to comply with ASEAN's best standard of governing and administer the nuclear power plants set to be commissioned here. The ASEAN's best standard should comply with the world's best standard, approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development.























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