Malaysia hosts IAEA’s only Asia‑Pacific nuclear security equipment hub, bolstering global preparedness
KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — Malaysia is increasingly playing a vital role in bolstering global nuclear security and emergency preparedness through practical international cooperation.
A cornerstone of these efforts is the country’s hosting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) only equipment repository in the Asia-Pacific region, which supports the rapid deployment of specialised radiation detection equipment to strengthen nuclear safety and security during major public events across the region.
The repository at the Malaysia Nuclear Security Support Centre (NSSC) in Dengkil, Bangi, also serves as a regional hub for training and capacity-building, underscoring the country’s growing contribution to international nuclear security cooperation and risk management.
IAEA Division of Nuclear Security Director Elena Buglova said the repository forms part of the agency’s broader global nuclear security network by improving operational support and regional preparedness for nuclear security incidents.
“We have many practical arrangements around the world with different countries, but only in Malaysia do we have a practical arrangement with equipment covering the Asia Pacific region.
“We have made arrangement with them on where the equipment will be kept and for training to be conducted in Malaysia. When there is a need, they can be shipped to the country requiring assistance and returned to the hub in Malaysia,” she told Bernama during a seminar held at IAEA headquarters in Vienna recently.
Buglova said one of the repository’s most significant deployments came during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where equipment from Malaysia was used for the first time to support nuclear security operations at stadiums against potential nuclear and radioactive threats.
“The equipment is stored there not only for training, but also for operational use during major public events and international assistance efforts.
“This demonstrates how the IAEA leverages the capabilities of member states and works with different partners to strengthen nuclear security,” Buglova said.
In September 2020, Malaysia, through the Department of Atomic Energy (Atom Malaysia, formerly the Atomic Energy Licensing Board), and the IAEA signed an agreement to establish a pool of radiation detection equipment available for loan.
According to the IAEA, the facility, established with financial contributions from Japan, supports nuclear security capacity-building and detection capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region, including for major public events.
The facility is also the first nuclear security equipment repository facilitated by the IAEA. Malaysia has been recognised as a NSSC by the IAEA since December 2012.
Under the agreement, the IAEA stations personal radiation detectors (PRDs), radionuclide identification devices (RIDs) and backpack radiation detectors (BRDs) at the Malaysia NSSC, which is operated by Atom Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Buglova said the IAEA, through its nuclear safety and security programme, has been assisting member states, upon request, in integrating nuclear security systems and measures into the overall security plans for organising major public events.
Since the Olympic Games in Greece in 2004, she said the agency has helped strengthen nuclear security measures and preparedness at almost 90 major public events in 49 countries, including sporting, political and religious gatherings.
Most recently, the IAEA assisted Mexico, one of the three co-hosts of the Fifa World Cup 2026, in strengthening nuclear security measures to protect tournament venues against malicious acts involving nuclear and other radioactive materials. — Bernama
