ABU DHABI (Sputnik) — Malaysia, which is considering the use of nuclear energy in the future, is holding talks with France, the United States, the United Arab Emirates to be able to learn from their experience in the area, according to Hajah Nancy Shukri, Malaysia’s minister in the prime minister’s department, who is responsible for overseeing Malaysia Nuclear Power Corporation.
"We have been holding bilaterals. One of them is France, the United States, the UAE as well. There might be more coming. They are sharing their [nuclear] technology with us, we’re just listening to them," Nancy told Sputnik on the sidelines of the nuclear conference in Abu Dhabi organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
"You have to be fair with newcomers like us — share with us technology, we want to learn more, because you have to understand the climate of our country, the culture. As a newcomer, we want the sharing to be very comprehensive, taking into consideration the situation in our country."
The minister has confirmed that Malaysia might start implementing its first nuclear project in 2030, or possibly later.
In March, the IAEA submitted a report on Malaysia's infrastructure concluding that the country is prepared to proceed with developing a nuclear program.
"We have not made such a decision yet. It all depends on the progress of our communication program. Of course, we are working closely with the IAEA in case of our policy decision; of course, it is based on communication process and public acceptation. It is still at a very initial stage for us, even though we have had surveys, it is not enough," Nancy said, adding that getting the public to understand nuclear-related issues was one of the main challenges.
"They [the public] want to know more, but in terms of our communication we feel that it’s not enough, so that they will be able to assess. The assessment will, of course, be based on the experience of other countries as well, they are also looking at Fukushima and all those countries."
It is necessary to look into the experience of other countries in strengthening safety procedures at nuclear facilities, the minister noted.
"We are very, very cautious to ensure that the public will be able [to] accept what we are going to pursue, what we are going to introduce to them… We are still unsure."
The minister explained that Malaysia was considering the use of nuclear energy because the country was looking for sustainable energy, which nuclear power could provide.
The Malaysia Nuclear Power Corporation (MNPC) said in May that Malaysia could have its own nuclear power plant in 2030, or later, to address the country's high energy demand.
