KUALA LUMPUR: The Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Huazong) has urged the government to align itself with the international community in opposing the planned discharge of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant, into the sea.
Its president Tan Sri TC Goh (pic) said this is necessary to prevent a potential man-made disaster of global magnitude.
He also demanded the United Nations (UN) to immediately step in to ensure that its nuclear watchdog agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) comes out with a more professional and reliable evaluation report on the disposal of nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, which really conform with international moral responsibility and obligations under international law, and not one which was merely "endorsed" by the Japanese authority.
He noted that the Japanese government had planned to release more than one million tonnes (an equivalent of 500 Olympic-size swimming pools) of water from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean over a span of 30 to 40 years.
He cautioned that if the said plan is not properly executed, it may trigger another environmental disaster of global magnitude like the one which occurred in 2011, also in Fukushima, following an earthquake-triggered tsunami, except that this time it would be a man-made disaster.
Goh, who is also president of The Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah (FCAS) was commenting on the recent news report quoting the operator of the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc., for saying that it would soon announce the actual date for the release of treated water from its disaster-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant into the ocean, after its report (on the disposal of nuclear-contaminated water) is verified by the Japanese government.
"We in Huazong are strongly against it and we hope the Japanese government immediately cancels the plan," he said.
Goh was also doubtful of the Japanese government's claim that after undergoing the so-called treatment, the discharged nuclear-contaminated water has contains low radioactivity and that its safety level is even higher than what is required under the international safety standards.
He also supported the China Ministry of Ecology and Environment's recent statement that the report on the disposal of nuclear-contaminated water failed to fully reflect views from experts that participated in the review, and that the conclusion was not shared by all experts.
"Hence, whatever claims made by the Japanese government in regards to the said report are very questionable and warrant serious examination by all parties concerned," he said.
Goh also concurred with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin's recent statement that the questionable report issued by the IAEA should not be conveniently regarded and used as a "shield" or "green light" by the Japanese government to discharge the nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean.
Goh continued that many experts had warned that dumping the Fukushima nuclear wastewater will contaminate half of the Pacific Ocean within 57 days from the date of discharge and spread around the world in 10 years.
Nuclear wastewater contains over 60 radionuclides, including tritium, carbon-14, cobalt-60, strontium-90, iodine-129, etc. The half-life of tritium is about 13 years, and that of carbon-14 is more than 5,000 years. There is not yet effective technology to treat many of those radionuclides. Some long-lived radionuclides may spread with the ocean currents and form a bio-concentration effect, which will multiply the total amount of radionuclides in the environment, causing unpredictable and irreparable harm to the marine environment and human health.
He thus called on the Malaysian government, especially the Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry to closely monitor the said issue and to take a stand alongside the international community to express strong opposition and to demand the Japanese government to immediately cancel its plan to release the nuclear wastewater into the ocean.
Meanwhile, he also welcomed and supported Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad's recent statement that Malaysia intends to keep its "no nuclear policy" stance when it comes to power generation.
Goh said such a stance was appropriate since Malaysia possesses sufficient natural resources to continue with its current power generation approach that is both safe and affordable.
