ECONOMY Minister Rafizi Ramli said Malaysia did not rule out nuclear power generation but needed to consider it further before integrating it into the country’s energy mix. 

He said the country recognised the potential of small modular reactors (SMR). 

“Of course, we look at planning but usually any major pivot, especially on something like nuclear, we have to bring throughout the whole government decision-making bodies and agencies. 

“But I can say with clarity that I don’t think we can be choosy. And I prefer to be agnostic, so long as it meets all our demands, all our requirements, and we have to be stringent with our requirements,” he said on the second day of the Energy Transition Conference today.  

Echoing Rafizi’s sentiment, Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the government was considering nuclear in its energy mix following its zero-carbon emissions policy. 

He noted that there were public safety concerns. 

“We accept that, but with changing technologies like SMR, it is something that we cannot be ruling out totally,” he said. – Bernama, August 29, 2023.