Malaysians seem to be spoiled for choice when it comes to things they want to be upset about: the GST, hudud law, Suamiku Encik Perfect 10 not being as good as we hoped – but who will fight against the nuclear plants?
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), that’s who.
And yes, there have been moves towards building the country’s first nuclear plant, with Rosatom, the Russian Federation’s nuclear energy corporation, planning to present a proposal to Putrajaya for a possible project here.
To ward off against anything of the sort setting up operations on our shores, 15 PSM members, including the party’s secretary-general S Arutchelvan, picketed outside the gates of th Malaysian Nuclear Agency in Bangi this morning, calling for a “nuclear-free Malaysia”.
The protest coinciding with Earth Day tomorrow, called “Flash Mob Tidur Bantah Nuklear”, did indeed feature protesters lying down on the ground while calling for the Federal Government to pledge never to resort to nuclear energy for the country’s power needs.
“We want Malaysia to be free of nuclear as it will endanger people’s lives. Nuclear is a dangerous and toxic form of energy. It is also a form of energy which is least used in the world and high in costs and risks,” Arutchelvan told Astro Awani.
A few protesters helpfully suggested on their pickets that Malaysia should instate a “no nukes, go solar” policy.
After the protest, Arutchelvan submitted a press statement titled “Malaysia Bebas Nuklear” to an officer representing the Malaysian Nuclear Agency.
And then they all left, we assume, leaving the MNA people to wonder if a Najib-Mahathir debate was happening in their building.
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