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STATEMENT BY MALAYSIA

THIRD SESSION OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR THE

2026 NPT REVIEW CONFERENCE

 

NEW YORK

 

CLUSTER 1

1 MAY 2025

____________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Mr. Chair,

 

1. Malaysia aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the NAM States Parties.

 

2. More than five decades after the entry into force of the NPT, the world remains subject to the existential threat of nuclear weapons. Notwithstanding obligations under the Treaty - in particular its Article VI - and commitments agreed to by consensus in 1995, 2000 and 2010, these abhorrent weapons continue to pose unacceptable risks for the future of human civilisation and the planet.

 

3. In the Pact for the Future, UN Member States reiterated their deep concern over the prevailing state of nuclear disarmament, and recommitted to the goal of the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Such pronouncements must be followed by tangible action, particularly at a time when multilateralism faces renewed strains and pressures. Contemporary security challenges should provide further impetus for nuclear disarmament, rather than be used to justify the perpetuation and extension of nuclear deterrence.

 

4. Malaysia unequivocally condemns all nuclear threats, whether explicit or implicit and irrespective of the circumstances. We are gravely concerned by the modernisation and expansion of nuclear arsenals and their delivery systems, against the backdrop of questions as regards the credibility and future of key instruments and norms in the field of nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control. Indeed, as the Secretary-General recently noted, regional and international developments are “creating an environment in which the spirit of mutual restraint that helped provide for the possibility of stable security relations is coming undone.” These trends must be reversed, with the Nuclear-Weapon States (NWS) demonstrating political will and leadership to reduce and eliminate the role of nuclear weapons in their military and security doctrines.  

 

5. We also join the growing chorus of voices, representing the majority of NPT States Parties, in urging relevant States to end extended nuclear deterrence arrangements, including nuclear sharing, which only exacerbate the inherent risks of nuclear weapons. 

 

Mr. Chair,

 

6. The costs of a nuclear conflict would be too great for any nation to contemplate, in terms of, inter alia, human life and health, socio-economic development, and the environment. The catastrophic humanitarian consequences would pay no heed to political boundaries, and therefore implicate the security interests of all States. This should be borne in mind in interrogating such notions as “undiminished security for all”. Dispassionate engagement with the evolving scientific evidence on nuclear-weapon use and testing, and a recognition of the tenuous assumptions upon which nuclear deterrence relies, is imperative. Only then can we properly conceptualise the relationship between nuclear disarmament and international peace and security; the former must be seen as an indispensable prerequisite for the latter, not the other way around. This is at the heart of the TPNW, which does not countenance any notion of legitimate possession of nuclear weapons, and instead commits all its States Parties to comprehensive legally binding prohibitions of such weapons. It therefore contributes to the goals of the NPT, as do other core instruments such as the CTBT and the treaties establishing nuclear-weapon-free zones.

 

7. As we strive to uphold the integrity of the NPT, calls for greater transparency and accountability on the part of the NWS should be taken seriously, noting their basis in outcome documents and deliberations in the Treaty’s review process over the years. Malaysia hopes that progress will be made in the current cycle towards enabling focused, constructive dialogue among all States Parties on the reports of the NWS relating to their nuclear disarmament obligations and commitments. This could play an important role in revitalising the disarmament pillar of the NPT, and in rebuilding trust and confidence with a view to ensuring a successful Review Conference next year.

 

Thank you.