KUALA LUMPUR – Selangor is expected to begin adopting nuclear energy as a clean power source within the next five years.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari told the state legislative assembly yesterday that the state is in the early phase of exploring the technology, including building technical expertise.
“If we can proceed, the earliest would be in about five years. Right now, we’re focused on capacity-building, including sending officers trained in nuclear-related fields.
“We will also consult local universities. Several institutions, including Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), have reached out to explore possible collaboration,” Bernama quoted him saying.
Amirudin was replying to a question by Mariam Abdul Rashid (PH–Meru), who had asked about the state’s plans and timeline for fully implementing nuclear-based clean energy.
Amirudin noted that nuclear studies remain underdeveloped in Malaysia, pushing some students to seek opportunities abroad.
“I have personally met with our students at Tsinghua University in China. They are exploring the field on their own because nuclear energy is still seen here as a sin sector unfit for exploration.
“But the future demands preparedness. We cannot rely solely on fossil fuels like gas and coal, which are less sustainable compared to nuclear,” he said.
The Menteri Besar, however, assured that safety issues, including potential leak risks and public percept must be addressed before the implementation.– November 18, 2025