When the Fukushima Daichi Nuclear Power plant incident made the news, the world was stunned, for it seemed that even the great engineering nation of Japan was helpless against the destructive nature of nuclear fission.
Suddenly, people realised that cheap and seemingly clean electricity came at a very high risk. Of course, true to the nature of Malaysian politics, just a few days after the incident, a large banner appeared on the MRR2 flyover above the intersection between Taman Melawati and Taman Permata, which read: “Pakatan Rakyat membantah cadangan kerajaan BN membina loji nuklear di Pahang.”
At first I thought that the banner was referring to an initiative to build a nuclear power plant some time in the future as prior to that TNB had released some research paper to look into this alternative means of power generation, you could read about it here and here.
But I learned that the banner was referring to the planned rare earth plant located in Gebeng, Pahang. That’s right, to some people, the Lynas rare earth refinery plant in Pahang was equivalent to Fukushima Daichi, perhaps one could discount the incident saying they were misinformed because at that point the Lynas issue was not in the limelight.
But only a few days ago as I was reading the comments on a FMT article regarding experts contradicting each other on Lynas, I was shocked to see people leaving comments comparing this rare earth plant to Chernobyl and Fukushima.
There was nothing wrong with protesting against an industry that you think might cause harm to the environment. It’s fine, but to literally and willingly be misinformed for the sake of protesting is something I have to object to, as if some automatically revert into this process of dumbing down your logical thoughts and arguments for the sake of living in the narrative that this plant was absolutely evil.
Let me give you an example, when someone pointed out that the Lynas plant in Gebeng was not a nuclear power plant and that its radiation risk or level should not be compared with say Chernobyl or Fukushima, the standard response from an angry passionate protester would be – “Why don’t you live beside the plant lah, bring up your children there!”
You see that’s not a good counter argument nor does that statement strengthen your case in anyway whatsoever. Yes, we all have concerns regarding the environmental effects of industries but still that does not justify your comparison between two very different plants.
Two-race system
Let’s just say if I was to protest the building of an oil and gas refinery plant near Hulu Kelang based upon the notion that the risk of a gas leak was detrimental to the surroundings similar to the effects of the Bhopal Gas leakage.
And it so happens that an oil and gas engineer points out to me that the Bhopal Gas incident was not an oil refinery but rather a pesticide plant, do you think that by me suggesting that he should live around Hulu Kelang and raise his kids there would justify my argument?
Look even if that guy really did move and live at Gebeng it still won’t change the fact that it’s not a nuclear plant. So there! If you must argue on this issue, I plead that at least argue and disagree based on the basis of facts and correct information.
And it really peeves me when people are willing to accept the views of so-called “experts” that fit onto their narrative even though these so-called “experts” have no expertise whatsoever in the related issue. I find it quite baffling how some argue their case, regarding the radioactive impact of this power plant which is supposed to be somewhat similar to nuclear fission, based on the opinion of an epidemiologist and at the same time reject the view of a nuclear scientist who tells you that it’s not.
I know that some would state that there was no point in listening to a government servant nuclear scientist who would only narrate the view of his master as part of the propaganda machine to lie to the rakyat.
Well I got news for you, the nuclear scientist who disagreed with Fuziah Salleh (Kuantan MP), who was also a lecturer for the Nuclear Sciences programme for over 20 years and also served 16 years in the Malaysian atomic licensing committee, was a PAS MP. Yes, Dr Che Rosli Che Mat is an opposition MP from Hulu Langat.
I would like to share with you some very wise words from the current PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, who said: “If you want to know about oil palm, don’t ask the rubber expert.”
I think this issue is not about the environment any longer and those who protests, or at least generally speaking, are passionate about it not because of the environment. If we dig deeper, it is more politically motivated and I think that some of us do this unconsciously.
Some of us are not protesting based on the justification that this plant really is dangerous and detrimental to the environment, rather that we create those justifications so that it fits into the narrative that is convenient to us.
It really saddens me that these days, most issues are argued not based on facts and figures but rather emotional judgments influenced by partisan politicking.
Perhaps, in a more brazen manner, I put forward the suggestion that the Lynas debacle has instead of exposing environmental awareness amongst Malaysians, merely highlights that our country is slowly becoming more of a two-race system instead of a two-party system.
Source : Free Malaysia Today
No comments:
Post a Comment