In view of the worsening nuclear crisis situation in Japan, the Malaysian government should take proactive steps in ensuring the safety of Malaysians in Japan.
The Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili, said today that the situation does not warrant an immediate evacuation of Malaysians living there, as readings taken in Tokyo, Miyagi and Ibaraki yesterday afternoon averaged about 0.17uSv/hr (microsieverts per hour), which was lower than the maximum allowed radiation dosage of 0.5uSv/hr for the Malaysian public.
In contrast to the minister’s calm response, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the overall situation was “very serious” though did not appear to be deteriorating. The chief US nuclear regulatory official said radiation levels around the fuel ponds were extremely high and “potentially lethal” near the reactors. Explaining the decision to deploy helicopters on Thursday, Toshimi Kitazawa, the defence minister, said conditions at the reactors had reached a critical point.
IAEA also reported that in some locations at around 30 km from the Fukushima plant, the dose rates rose significantly in the last 24 hours (in one location from 80 to 170 microsievert per hour and in another from 26 to 95 microsievert per hour). Dose rates to the north-west of the nuclear power plants, were observed in the range 3 to 170 microsievert per hour. Dose rates in other directions are in the 1 to 5 microsievert per hour range.
The US had issued a new advice of wider evacuating zone of 80km, contrary to their earlier advice until Thursday to follow Japanese advice of a 20-kilometer evacuation zone around the plant. The same advice was issued by the governments of other countries, including Britain, Canada, Australia and South Korea.
Foreign firms including German technology companies SAP and Infineon, Cisco Systems Inc, International Business Machines Corp, Peugeot, Continental were reported to be evacuating their staffs either to the south of Japan or to leave the country.
Embassies including the United States and United Kingdom had arrangement for chartered flight to leave the country in view of the critical situation. The US had issued official statement that the nuclear crisis was more dire than expressed by Japanese officials, and had provided transportation for US citizens to safehaven locations in Asia on a reimbursable basis yesterday.
Meanwhile, a French government plane has already left Tokyo earlier today for Seoul in South Korea with 241 people on board, with another flight planned for French citizens wishing to leave Japan. Two Czech military planes had also landed in Prague after evacuating 106 people from the country.
Until yesterday, the foreign ministry of Malaysia reported that they brought back 50 Malaysians out of the 289 Malaysians in the four worst-hit areas.
Following the example of other countries, the government should take speedy action to aid Malaysians who are still in Tokyo and the disaster zone to leave the country safely.
#1 by dagen on Friday, 18 March 2011 - 2:04 pm
Yeah. Evacuate them. Use our military planes. And dont forget to give each of them 500 ringgit. Wow. Umno needs to allocate something like (wot?) a few billions for this operation. Fatt tatt lor.
#2 by jus legitimum on Friday, 18 March 2011 - 3:52 pm
But they will need to know how many of those are bumi,mata sepet and keling.If majority are from the latter two groups,then forget it.
#3 by yhsiew on Friday, 18 March 2011 - 4:35 pm
///The US had issued a new advice of wider evacuating zone of 80km, contrary to their earlier advice until Thursday to follow Japanese advice of a 20-kilometer evacuation zone around the plant.///
The Americans use their own equipment to detect radiation. From the radiation data obtained, they use their knowledge to analyse how far their nationals should be evacuated to. In other words, the Americans do not depend on the Japanese for radiation data and analysis.
The Malaysian government will not go wrong by following the advice of the Americans.
#4 by -e- on Friday, 18 March 2011 - 5:03 pm
do no take the advices from the japanese govt at face value. they likely to play down the effects coz they have the duty to calm their citizen and stay in power.
it is only our reckless bn govt that is willing to expose malaysians at risk based on their peanut brain judgement.
perhaps malaysians staying more than 5-6 years would not be eligible for evacuation!
#5 by boh-liao on Friday, 18 March 2011 - 5:23 pm
But first NR must send FLOM 2 charm d bosses there 2 get special additional landing rights 4 our planes – must not jiggle too much 4 d lard 2 start another tsunami n earthquake
#6 by dagen on Friday, 18 March 2011 - 7:00 pm
Japanese government are bound to act in the interest of preventing mass hysteria and panic. Afterall the disaster right now is unfolding in their country and on their land. In other words, they are standing on ground zero. The americans are doing damage control remotely. Unlike the japanese, their only concern is human costs (suffered by their citizens who are now in japan).
So yes, I would say go with the americans and not the japanese. Besides, dont forget. The americans have the experience of a similar misfortune – the three mile island incident. So their nuclear disaster response policies are, one would think, modelled on real life scenario and hence perhaps more realistic.
Me? I say, get the hell out of there. Now. And if umno were to build nuclear stations, then I would get the hell out of here too!
#7 by hallo on Friday, 18 March 2011 - 7:40 pm
Malaysian Government in evacuating Malaysians in Japan needed.
But please dont forget send all those politicians support the nuclear plant in Malaysia to test what is radioactive is all about.
Yes do it now.
The BN wishing all malaysians to send them nuclear b*mb to blow off their from the malaysian screen into the history, there is why they so insist the nuclear plant even they know it is highly dangerous for Malaysia.
All Malaysians should grant them their wish.
#8 by yhsiew on Saturday, 19 March 2011 - 5:03 am
Malaysia’s stance is that it will not OFFICIALLY evacuate its nationals in Japan due to its close, friendly relations with Japan. However, Malaysians who are in the affected parts of Japan may contact the Malaysian embassy and the latter will arrange transport for them to return to Malaysia. Such offer is only applicable to Malaysians who are living in the AFFECTED parts of Japan.
The above is what I gathered from the China Press.
#9 by hallo on Saturday, 19 March 2011 - 8:52 am
You can how they manage our Malaysia tax money.
Still they insist they are rights, making an excuses or exist appoint consultants to clarity the safety of nuclear plant in Malaysia using our tax money millions of dollar.
They used our money like a piece of paper writing whatever amount they can with an excuses behind corrupted with an operation of the receivers millions of dollars.
All Malaysians don’t waste the times to listen what nonsense they keeping tell us just kick them out from the administrating the our government.
Remember, only a new government administrators may run an check our tax report.
Only new government administrators can do it.
And we need it urgently before the country go bankrupt.
#10 by assamlaksa on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 7:02 am
friends who just came back from Japan said the Malaysian embassy in Tokyo is helping only the Malays to come back. when contacted to ask for help to get flight tickets, the non-Malays friends are told to find their own solution.