Malaysia’s Nuclear Energy Development May Benefit From 123 Agreement With US – Raja Abdul Aziz
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 (Bernama) -- The 123 Agreement currently being negotiated between Putrajaya and Washington is expected to pave the way for Malaysia to access nuclear technology expertise, develop local talent and strengthen its capabilities in nuclear energy development, said Atomic Energy Advisory Council of Malaysia chairman Raja Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan.
A 123 Agreement, named after Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954, is an essential legal framework required by the US before any transfer of nuclear materials, technology or equipment for peaceful purposes can take place.
Raja Abdul Aziz said once both countries conclude negotiations, the agreement would give technology vendors greater confidence to share information with Malaysia, enabling the country to build the necessary expertise and prepare its workforce for nuclear power development.
He said negotiations are in the final stages and he does not foresee any difficulties in signing the agreement.
“Once we sign the agreement, we will be able to train people and gain access to information. It would give technology vendors the confidence to share information with us, and that is what we want to achieve," he said.
Raja Abdul Aziz explained that it is currently difficult to train personnel in nuclear power technology.
“Countries need to know how serious you are about nuclear power before they agree to train you. Secondly, they need to understand how you intend to use that knowledge, because this is a dual-use technology. It can be used for peaceful or non-peaceful purposes,” he said.
Raja Abdul Aziz told reporters this after participating in a panel discussion session titled “Nuclear – Let’s Talk About It!”, moderated by Energy Industries Council (EIC) regional director Syed Saggaf Syed Ahmad, at the Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) 2026 today.
On July 10, 2025, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan signed a Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation (NCMOU) aiming to advance peaceful nuclear cooperation between the US and Malaysia.
The signing reflects the shared commitment of Malaysia and the United States to advance their Comprehensive Partnership and explore new areas of collaboration in addressing global challenges.
-- BERNAMA