KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia can continue procuring or purchasing nuclear reactors, nuclear fuel and other nuclear-related items from any country despite signing the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) with the United States, says the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry.
The ministry said Article 5.3 of the ART does not bind Malaysia exclusively to the US or any other country, citing input from the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry.
It explained that Article 5.3 must be read in its entirety, noting that the clause's closing sentence allows Malaysia to make procurement decisions based on commercial, technical, and security considerations, in line with the country’s interests.
“There are no restrictions on Malaysia cooperating with other countries when it comes to nuclear energy, including in the areas of training, research, safety, radiation and more,” it said in a written reply on Friday (Jan 23).
The ministry affirmed that the sovereignty of Malaysia’s nuclear and energy policies remains intact.
The ART, it added, does not alter the roadmap for Malaysia’s nuclear policies.
“We remain committed to ensuring all nuclear-related cooperation is carried out in line with national interests and security,” it said.
“Malaysia will continue to adopt a balanced and neutral approach when considering any potential cooperation on nuclear technology, while adhering to international laws and regulations,” it added.
The ministry was responding to a question from Azli Yusof (PH–Shah Alam), who asked how the ART, particularly Article 5.3, could potentially limit the procurement of nuclear-related materials from “certain countries” and whether it would alter the course of Malaysia’s nuclear policies.
Malaysia and the US signed the ART on Oct 26 during the 47th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur.
