By Yussof J. Imbang
KOTA KINABALU; Malaysia is ready to move into the nuclear energy development phase, aligning with the framework of becoming a developed nation by 2030.
This was expressed by the Chairman of the Sabah Government Supporters Club (BBC), Datuk Masiung Banah, who said that Sabah is prepared to propose itself as the first base hub for this impactful nuclear program.
In his statement today, he said the Sabah government and the Federal government could collaborate to develop this nuclear program.
According to Masiung, this effort could be realised through negotiations under the framework of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Previously, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof stated that Sabah and the Peninsula are the most practical choices for developing a nuclear power plant in the coming decade if the country agrees to this new proposal.
Fadilah, who is also the Minister of Energy and Water Transformation, noted that in Sarawak, energy issues are not a concern as the Bakun Hydroelectric project contributes 70 percent of the region’s energy supply.
“The capacity for electricity supply in this state is becoming increasingly critical and still far from balancing the utility advancements in the Peninsula,” he added.
Masiung suggested that the country could initiate projects using Floating Nuclear Power Plants (FNPP), which offer more flexible costs and shorter construction periods, making them suitable for Sabah, which has a vast coastline.
He believes that the country’s electricity supply cannot continue to rely on fossil fuels due to constraints on coal and natural gas resources, some of which must be imported from abroad.
He stressed that the geopolitical turmoil in the Strait of Hormuz and the escalating global uncertainties necessitate an urgent need for the country to formulate a long-term energy strategy.
