On February 27, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), or Wisma Putra, organised an outreach session with NGOs, civil society, academia and international organisations on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) in Kuala Lumpur. This was the second session following the first which was held on December 9 last year. 

Others in attendance included Datuk Dr Ronald McCoy from Malaysian Physicians for Social Responsibility (MPSR), SUHAKAM chairman Tan Sri Othman Hashim, former ambassador Dato’ Dr Mohd Yusof Ahmad, representatives from International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRC), ISIS, academicians from University of Malaya (UM) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia(UKM) as well as representatives from the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisation (MAPIM) and the Environmental Protection Society Malaysia (EPSM).

During the outreach session, Mr Zahid Rastam from Wisma Putra’s Multilateral Security Division gave an overview on the latest developments in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. He emphasised that Malaysia has always took a firm stance against nuclear weapons and had played a constructive role throughout the negotiations of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which was adopted by the United Nations on July 7, 2017. 

	Joanne Foo (third from left)

Currently, Malaysia is working towards ratifying the TPNW at the earliest opportunity to contribute to its early entry into force. Malaysia will also play a key role in chairing the Main Committee I (Disarmament) of the 2020 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, which had earlier been scheduled for April 27–May 22 in New York. 

SGM’s Head of External Affairs and Communications Joanne Foo, also gave a brief introduction on the “Everything You Treasure – For A World Without Nuclear Weapons” (EYT) exhibition and the social media initiative titled Rakan TPNW. All participants were actively engaged in the open discussion on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation in the Malaysian context. They shared a common view that each has their role to play including civil society and educational institutions in promoting awareness on the threats of nuclear weapons and the importance of its ban.

Editor’s note: In light of the situation related to the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, States Parties have decided to postpone the 2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to a later date, as soon as the circumstances permit, but no later than April 2021. Information on the new dates of the Review Conference will be posted in due course. (Source: https://www.un.org/en/conferences/npt2020)