Open AccessSister Lab Program Prospective Partner Nuclear Profile: Malaysia
Author(s) -
Mo Bissani,
Samuel S Tyson
Publication year - 2006
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/899443
Subject(s) - nuclear power , atomic energy , government (linguistics) , incentive , political science , nuclear technology , christian ministry , engineering , business , economics , law , sociology , nuclear physics , social science , linguistics , philosophy , physics , agency (philosophy) , microeconomics
The Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman suggested in the early 1970s that Malaysia should have a role in the development of nuclear science and technology for peaceful purposes. Accordingly, the Center for the Application of Nuclear Energy (CRANE) was established, with a focus on the development of a scientific and technical pool critical to a national nuclear power program. The Malaysian Cabinet next established the Tun Ismail Atomic Research Center (TIARC) under the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment on 19 September 1972, at a site in Bangi, about 35 km south of Kuala Lampur. On 28 June 1982, the PUSPATI reactor, a 1-MW TRIGA MK-II research reactor, first reached criticality. On 10 August 1994, TIARC was officially renamed as the Malaysian Institute for Nuclear Technology Research (MINT). In addition to radioisotope production and neutron radiography conducted at the PUSPATI research reactor, MINT also supports numerous programs employing nuclear technology for medicine, agriculture and industry, and has been involved in both bilateral and multilateral technical cooperation to extend its capabilities. As an energy exporting country, Malaysia has felt little incentive to develop a nuclear energy program, and high level opposition within the government discouraged it further. A recent statement by Malaysia's Science, Technology and Innovation Minister supported this view, indicating that only a near-catastrophic jump in world oil prices might change the government's view. However, the rate at which Malaysia is using its natural gas and oil reserves is expected to force it to reassess the role of nuclear energy in the near future. In addition, the government does intend to construct a radioactive waste repository to dispose of naturally occurring radioactive materials (extracted during tin mining, in particular). Also, Malaysia's growing economy could encourage expansion in Malaysia's existing nuclear-applications programs supporting the medical, agricultural, industrial and environmental fields