Malaysia faces significant public distrust and an outdated legal framework as it considers nuclear energy for its power needs, according to the authors of the newly released report. These obstacles include widespread community rejection based on safety fears and a regulatory system that is currently inadequate for licensing modern reactor technologies.
The report notes that “Public perception of nuclear power is often associated with risks, accidents, and environmental harm, leading to opposition,” and further highlights that “ACT 304 does not comprehensively cover all aspects of nuclear safety, security, and safeguards, making it inadequate for licensing nuclear power plants (NPPs).”
In simpler terms, many Malaysians are deeply worried that nuclear energy is dangerous, which makes it hard for the government to find places to build plants without facing strong local protests. At the same time, the country’s current laws were written for small-scale medical or research uses of radiation rather than for massive power plants, meaning there is no clear legal “rulebook” yet for building or managing a modern nuclear energy sector.
The report “Future Scenarios: The Role of Nuclear Power in Malaysia’s Energy Landscape” was published by the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) in Cyberjaya, Malaysia, in 2025. It was prepared by a team of authors and technical experts at MIGHT to provide a strategic foresight outlook on integrating nuclear energy into the nation’s transition to a net-zero economy.
