Ex-PAP MP Amrin Amin: Singapore is in a ‘tough neighbourhood’ where friendships can cool
SINGAPORE: Amrin Amin weighed in on the possibility of nuclear power in Singapore in a recent social media post, saying it “deserves a serious look,” provided that “it can be made safe.”
He wrote this in the context of recent developments that have arguably made it clear how becoming less dependent on other nations for securing energy would be to Singapore’s advantage.
“We live in a tough neighbourhood. We can smile, shake hands and share (imported) durians. But friendships can cool, and yesterday's assurances may not always hold tomorrow. Let's clear the air: respect runs both ways,” Mr Amrin added.
And for this, being ready is key.
“We're not waiting for a crisis before preparing alternatives. We did the same with water, and NEWater flowed out of it,” he noted.
And while Singapore cannot change its geography, size, or vulnerabilities, it can choose how it responds, and in this context, he wrote that building trust at home regarding the safety of nuclear power is the government’s responsibility.
As nuclear reactors may one day be situated near people’s homes, building this trust is important.
“That confidence has to be earned well before any decision is made,” Mr Amrin added.
While no final decisions have yet been made regarding nuclear power in Singapore, the Government has been seriously studying the option, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said last weekend.
Mr Amrin, who served as a Member of Parliament for Sembawang under the People’s Action Party and also had stints as Senior Parliamentary Secretary and Home Affairs, pointed out how heavily dependent Singapore is on other countries for its energy supply, with 95% of the city-state’s electricity coming from imported natural gas.
Recently, however, Indonesia, which is responsible for as much as a quarter of Singapore's total natural gas, announced it would be reducing its supply due to its domestic needs.
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“The cut amounts to less than 2% of our daily demand. It's manageable because we planned for moments like this. Chicken, eggs, masks: each taught us to shop around,” noted the former MP.
And Singapore’s preparation for a possible nuclear power option may have taken a step further, with Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) Tan See Leng announcing new Nuclear Manpower Development Programmes on Monday (Oct 26).
“As usual, it starts with people,” Mr Amrin pointed out. /TISG