Important for S'pore to build up nuclear safety expertise: PM Lee

THERE are no plans to set up a research institute dedicated to nuclear energy in Singapore, but it is still important to build up capabilities in this area through other means, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Nuclear safety concerns everyone, including Singapore, and there is a need to discuss the issue at the regional level, he told the Singapore media on Tuesday at the end of the two-day Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) in The Hague.

"We've been studying nuclear energy, nuclear safety and nuclear power. The conclusion that MTI (Ministry of Trade and Industry) came to is that, with the present technology, it's not likely we can do any nuclear power in Singapore," said Mr Lee.