Govt explicitly bans atomic weapons as M'sia pursues nuclear energy

PARLIAMENT | The Dewan Rakyat has passed amendments to the Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 seeking to implement an overall ban against nuclear weapons, with violations punishable by death or up to 40 years in prison.

The Atomic Energy Licensing (Amendment) Bill 2025, which was debated in the lower house today, saw the Science, Technology, and Innovation Ministry proposing a new section - Section 25H - on the prohibition of nuclear weapons.

Under the additional provision, no one shall “develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices”.

Besides the transfer of nuclear weapons or explosive devices, the use or threat to deploy such materials is also criminalised under the amendments.

Stationing, installing, or arranging positions for the deployment of nuclear arms - or assisting, encouraging, or inducing such activities - is also deemed a punishable offence.

Punishable by death

Individuals who contravene the provision shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for a term between 30 and 40 years.

Companies, however, face a fine of not less than RM30 million if they are found to have violated the provision.

A separate clause in the amendment bill states that the punishments under Section 25H will apply to offences committed by Malaysians or permanent residents on board any ship or aircraft registered in Malaysia.

The law can also be imposed on any person “against a citizen of Malaysia,” as well as any person who is present in Malaysia after the commission of the offence.

Any person who commits the offence against property belonging to or operated by, in whole or in part, the federal government or state administrations, is also subject to the stipulated punishments.

This includes diplomatic or consular premises of Malaysia, as well as any corporation created by or under national laws, but located outside Malaysia.

According to the Science, Technology, and Innovation Ministry, the prohibitions detailed in the bill are aimed at ensuring legal clarity while unequivocally affirming that the use of atomic energy in Malaysia is “solely for peaceful purposes, not weaponisation”.

It highlighted that under the existing Act, there is no specific stipulation prohibiting nuclear weapons.

“However, the possession of any nuclear material or apparatus - including weapons and nuclear-based explosives - remains prohibited and subject to control under the Act,” a ministry representative told Malaysiakini.

Malaysia had earlier signed and ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, with the international agreement coming into force on Jan 22, 2021.

Considering nuclear power

In tabling the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) last month, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Putrajaya is considering adopting nuclear power as a clean and safe source of energy.

The 13MP main book released by the government outlined that a nuclear energy development programme will be implemented and is expected to be operational by 2031.

The MyPower Corporation is expected to be the implementing organisation tasked with administering the programme as per International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regulations.

Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof has also affirmed that the government is studying the possibility of implementing nuclear energy projects in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah due to the high demand for stable energy in both regions.

Reporting by Qistina Nadia Dzulqarnain, Hariz Mohd, N Faizal Ghazali

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