Sohirin/Jems de Fortuna, Semarang – A leak at the Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) nuclear-powered electric generator plant has made the residents around Gunung Muria (Jepara, Pati and Kudus, Central Java) grow stronger as regards resisting the government's plan to build a nuclear plant in their area.

"The government and Batan (the National Atomic Energy Agency) must be unselfish and cancel the plan," said Hasan Aoni Azis US, Deputy Chairman of Rekso Bumi Society (Marem), when contacted by Tempo, yesterday (17/7).

Marem is a community group around Gunung Muria, which has often been campaigning to reject the nuclear plant in Jepara during the last two months.

It was reported that Tepco's nuclear reactor emitted 1.5 liters of water containing radioactive material after an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale shook Kashiwazaki, Monday (16/7).

Due to the earthquake that killed nine people and wrecked 300 buildings, Japan has closed down three of its nuclear reactors.

Hasan referred to the result of a survey by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Environmental Technology, which stated that Muria Peninsula and Gunung Muria were fault areas with high potential of volcanic earthquakes.

"History also records that the areas around Muria, including Jepara, Kudus, Pati and Semarang have been hit by large earthquakes," he said.

Earlier, Iwan Kurniawan, a doctor of nuclear physics and also former Batan expert, said that the permit for a nuclear plant in Muria has not yet been given by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The Indonesian Nuclear Power Monitoring Agency (BPTNI) is currently studying the uranium content potential in East Nusa Tenggara area. According to BPTNI Head, Sukarman Aminjoyo, the research is important because Indonesia will use nuclear as a replacement for electricity fuel.

"If there are (potentials), how much is the content because so far only West Kalimantan is confirmed to be rich in uranium," he said in Kupang.