by Melissa Lee
News that Prime Minister Najib Razak's government was already
hunting down a public relations agency to help build public support for its
unpopular proposal to build nuclear power plants has alarmed opposition
leaders.
The BN federal government had in December 2010 announced
plans to build two nuclear power plants to generate 1,000MW each, with the
first plant ready for operation in 2021 and the second in 2012.
The proposal was immediately shot down by the Pakatan Rakyat
led by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and other green groups, who pointed out
that electricity reserves in the country were more than abundant and the risks
of nuclear contamination was greater than any benefits. The Japan tsunami and
the subsequent meltdown of its power plants also served as the best reminders,
they warned.
"Public relations can
never change our minds. The opposition for nuke power stems from deep seated
beliefs about preserving the environment for future generations and the
priority of human safety over immediate cost benefits. If anything Malaysia,
while it is still very comfortable with energey reserves, should stand on the
side of those who are pushing for the development of environmental-friendly
alternatives, and not rush to build plants," PKR vice president Tian Chua
told Malaysia Chronicle.
Stop
being so superficial, Najib
told
He also pointed out Najib's recent fiasco with FBC Media, a
UK prublic relations firm on which the PM had lavished RM58 million of
taxpayers' money on to 'build' a positive but false image of himself and his
administration.
Tian also slammed the Najib administration for its haste to
seal deals with the French firms appointed to build the nuclear power plants,
saying it harked back to the Scorpene submarines deal, wherein Najib was
accused of accepting a huge kickback of some RM570 million.
"These are classice examples where Najib must go beyond
the superficial. He has not given a good enough explanation and cannot rely
just on PR. FBC was supposed make him a hero to the Western world and make his
policies acceptable. Not only did FBC fail but the whole thing has boomeranged
into a major PR disaster for Najib and Malaysia. As for the Scorpenes, until
the French investigation is complete, all wheeling and dealing on such overseas
contracts should be detailed to the last cent," said Tian.
7-figure
fees
Earlier this week, the Holmes Report, a New York-based
publication that serves the public relations community, reported that the
Malaysia Nuclear Power Corporation had shortlisted three firms for the
sensitive project. “It is understood that a formal pitch is yet to take place.
A source involved in the process said that fees had not been confirmed, but
were expected to be in the seven-figure range,” the report had said.
So far, the Najib administration has not confirmed the Holmes
Report.
According to the Malaysian government, the nation is too
dependent on gas and coal for its electricity supply, with gas accounting for
64 per cent and the rest from coal-based generation. Energy minister Peter Chin
also warned Malaysia was running out of gas and a new hydropower project will
only provide sufficient power for East Malaysia, and not the remainder of the
country.
According to Chin, other sources of energy such as biomass
and wind were too minimal while solar was a good potential but the technology
was still very expensive. “Hopefully, by 2013 or 2014, we will able to finish
evaluating this. As for calling of tenders, we hope it will be done by 2016,”
he had said.
Source : MC
EmpireMoney.com
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