JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 11 — The government plans to add four additional Gamma Spectrum Water Monitoring Stations (GSWMS) in Langkawi, Pulau Tioman, Pulau Perhentian and Bintulu by this year.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang said the first installation of a GSWMS system has already been installed at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Sepanggar, Sabah.
“The system functions to detect and monitor gamma radiation in water sources for safety and research purposes,” he told reporters at the 12th Annual Meeting of the Asean Network of Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy (Aseantom) at the Renaissance Hotel here today.
“It can detect or monitor radiation levels in water and it is not only installed in Malaysia, but throughout Asean as well.
“As our systems are connected, there is early detection if any part of the region has abnormal readings,” he added.
Chang said it was important to strengthen cooperation with regional partners, especially Asean member states, in the aspects of safety, security and protection of atomic energy.
“Although we have not implemented nuclear power generation, current developments in the region show that most countries are exploring the potential of this energy.
“Nuclear power generation is not only for electricity generation, but also other sectors that use radioactive materials that need to be regulated,” he said, adding that there is a need to strengthen cooperation in the framework of atomic energy regulation.
He said the cost for each GSWMS is about RM600,000.
UMS was chosen as the first site due to its strategic location near China, Japan and South Korea.
In the region, Malaysia is the third Asean country to install the GSWMS after both Vietnam and Singapore had already implemented theirs.
