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tate Minister of Research and Technology Kusmayanto Kadiman said on Thursday that tenders for nuclear power plants, which were initially targeted for completion by the end of this year, have been postponed indefinitely.

The decision to postpone was made in light of an absence of political support since the legislative election in April, the minister said.

Kusmayanto said that, despite the postponement, nuclear power will continue to be pursued.

He cited as an example the case of residents who initially opposed the construction of a nuclear station in Jepara, Central Java, but are now asking that the project be "revived".

The minister reiterated that, in terms of technology and economy, research on the possibility of utilizing nuclear power in Indonesia has been satisfactory, but added that, unfortunately, decision making for it is hindered by political and social problems.

He expressed concern over the recent use of the nuclear issue in campaigning, saying candidates were not considering the benefits of its development.

"Its security and safety are good; it's a matter of working out political and social issues. Now, during the legislative and presidential elections, the nuclear issue is being used as a commodity by some who say they are against it even though, after any agreement is reached, it will be them who will deal with it," the minister said on the sidelines of the launch of fractal batik software designed by creative youths at Pixel People, with the support from USAID in Bandung.

Kusmayanto said that there should have been new negotiations with the government and new members of the House of Representatives to discuss the construction of nuclear power generation. Frankly speaking, the minister said, his office has been going all-out to reassure politicians of the benefits and safety of the technology.

"All major decisions will be made through new negotiations, we will see, as at the legislative body there will be many newcomers. It's better to wait until the presidential election," he said, adding that all over the world the nuclear issue is seen from four perspectives: technological, economic, social and political.

As has been widely reported, the office of the minister of research and technology has designated the base of Mt. Muria in Jepara as the most suitable site for a nuclear power plant.

The decision to choose the location was made in 1979 by state electricity company PT PLN and the state National Atomic Energy Agency (Batan)

Based on Law No. 17/2007 on the national long-term development program, the operation of a nuclear power plant in Indonesia is set to be established between 2016 and 2019.

Kusmayanto said that certainty on the decision on tenders will unlikely be taken under the current SBY-Kalla government, referring to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla.