ID :
128076
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 10:29
Auther :

TEACH STUDENTS TO USE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE POSITIVELY, SAYS DR M



KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 (Bernama) -- It is of utmost important to inculcate
good values in students in order for them to use scientific knowledge in a more
positive ways, said former prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamed.

He said as much as science has contributed to the well-being of humans,
improvement in lifestyle and quality of life, it could also be destructive as
there were technologies developed to kill people efficiently.

"That is the bad side of science. We do not tell them that the misuse of
knowledge can destroy the world," he said in his keynote address at the World
Engineering, Science and Technology Congress 2010 here Tuesday.

University Technology Petronas (UTP) is the organiser of the three-day
congress with the support of Ministry of Higher Education.

Mahathir said, for example, nuclear technology could be used to produce
electricity but the world did not know enough on it, especially how to dispose
of the waste.

"Today, one can destroy the world by just dropping some nuclear bombs, as
there are enough nuclear weapons in the world to blow us up.

"We have not found a way to reverse the process so that the nuclear can no
longer be dangerous for humanity," said Mahathir, who is also the chancellor of
UTP.

Hence, he said, nuclear waste was not something Malaysia should have
anywhere in the country.

He said plastic was another great discovery that has become as a menace to
humanity now as it was not easily disposable.

"It just refuses to rot. Burning it is also dangerous to the environment,"
he said.

Mahathir said while mankind enjoyed the results of the scientific findings,
there should also have enough focus on the end-products to ensure
sustainability.

"We should not just focus on science and not care about its destructive
effects. We should have something that will improve over time and give us better
product," he said.
-- BERNAMA


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