KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Malaysia does not need nuclear energy as an alternative energy source despite the current increase in oil prices, a senior Malaysian official said Monday.

    Other energy resources in this country are still abundant and there is no need for Malaysia to seek alternatives, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Kong Cho Ha was quoted by the official Bernama news agency as saying.

    Malaysia's capacity to develop nuclear energy is limited in terms of technology and human resources and it will take up to 15 years to build a nuclear plant, Kong told reporters, adding that the uranium source is also limited in this country.

    Kong made the remarks after opening the five-day Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (FNCA) and Workshop on Reactor Utilization organized by the Malaysian Institute for Nuclear Technology Research (MINT) and the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

    Earlier, MINT Director-General Daud Mohamad said in his speech that the institute, in its move to promote the development and application of nuclear science and technology in Malaysia, set up the Reactor Interest Group (RIG) in 2001, which comprised researchers from local universities and other research institutes.

    However, Daud noted that MINT used this technique mainly for "neutron activation analysis" or to "determine the elemental contents in various samples such as soil, water, air, sediment and biological samples." Enditem