]Oleh/By : DATO SERI DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : PUTRA WORLD TRADE CENTRE,
KUALA LUMPUR
Tarikh/Date : 15/10/2002
Tajuk/Title : THE INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR
CONFERENCE 2002
Versi : ENGLISH
Penyampai : PM
I am very pleased to be here this morning to
officiate at the Opening Ceremony of the
International Nuclear Conference 2002.
2. I have always had reservations on nuclear power,
largely due to my concern on the safety of nuclear
power plants, and the possibility of use in nuclear
weapons. Nevertheless, the study of nuclear science
and technology is essential for a better
understanding of the physical properties of elements
and substances and their possible non-military
application.
3. Nuclear physics and pharmacology, for example,
have given us new tools to treat cancer, and the
advent of X-rays and nuclear magnetic resonance have
made physical imaging, foetal monitoring and
therapeutic procedures not only possible but also
successful. It is for this reason that the Government
saw the need to establish the Malaysian Institute for
Nuclear Technology Research (MINT), and to continue
to support its activities.
4. In this respect, it is gratifying to note that
MINT has managed to find itself a niche in applying
the knowledge that it has acquired for the larger
benefit of Malaysian society and industry. Such an
involvement by MINT has contributed to the
development of new products, processes and services
that have benefited certain local industries in a
number of economic sectors, ranging from
manufacturing, oil exploration and refining, mining,
medical and healthcare, agriculture, environmental
care, and even to the sewage treatment and
telecommunication industries. As a result, MINT has
also been generating increasing revenue from these
industries that help fund its research activities,
and also provide some returns on the investment that
the Government has made in establishing the
Institute.
5. While the generation of such returns is
encouraged, the Government will continue to provide
the necessary funding for MINT to further strengthen
its facilities and activities, in the hope that such
capacity-building in research and development will
help to achieve our vision to transform into a fully-
developed nation. This is more justifiable, from the
tax-payers' point of view, now that MINT has attained
not only a number of internationally-recognised
quality standards for its products and services, and
is striving for more, but has also received a number
of international awards for its inventions and
innovation.
6. But like any other fields of knowledge, there is
always bound to be someone who would find a way to
use nuclear know-how for war and terror. While
Mankind is still cursed with the development and
continued possession of nuclear weapons by some
States, we are now faced with the new threat of
nuclear terrorism, such as the use of radioactive
materials in dirty bombs, following the multiple
terrorist attacks on the United States on September
11th. There are even reports that alleged that some
terrorists are trying to acquire nuclear weapons and
other weapons of mass destruction.
7. This is unfortunate because suspicions directed
at some countries particularly Muslim countries is
likely to result in these countries from having
access to materials and technology for peaceful use.
It would seem that some countries are not trusted
despite their concession to the Treaty on the Non-
proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which
entitles them to access to non-military technology
under the Treaty. Already, there is an attempt to
inhibit peaceful nuclear co-operation among Middle
Eastern States.
8. If we look at the Nuclear Non-proliferation
Treaty, we will find that it embodies a bargain
struck between three general objectives; firstly, a
commitment by all Parties not to contribute to the
horizontal proliferation of nuclear weapons, or the
spread of nuclear weapons to States not already in
possession of such weapons; secondly, a commitment to
promote the international transfer of technology for
the peaceful applications of nuclear energy,
especially to developing nations; and thirdly, a
commitment not to contribute to the vertical
proliferation of nuclear weapons or the increase in
the nuclear weapons arsenal of States in possession
of such weapons, as a step towards total nuclear
disarmament.
9. But the Treaty, by no means, assures any right
for the nuclear weapon States to possess such weapons
of mass destruction in perpetuity. Instead, they are
obliged to pursue negotiations in good faith on
effective measures relating to cessation of the
nuclear arms race at an early date, and to general
and complete disarmament under strict and effective
international control.
10. However, for a long while now, the focus has
instead been on restricting access to nuclear
technology by the non-nuclear weapon States, for fear
that they might use the technology to develop such
weapons in contravention of the Treaty. This has
since led to the rise of stringent nuclear non-
proliferation export control, which is now being
further tightened in view of the threat of nuclear
terrorism.
11. While there is a need to institute such a
control in cases where there have been clear breaches
of NPT obligations by any non-nuclear weapon State,
there is also a possibility of some of the nuclear
technology supplier States overzealously applying
such a control for purposes other than preventing the
proliferation of nuclear weapons. This may be for
alleged human rights violation or other issues, or
even as a non-tariff trade barrier, especially when
it comes to dual-use items, or items that can be used
either for the production of nuclear weapons or
peaceful non-nuclear applications.
12. The non-nuclear weapon States that produce such
items, which may range from electronic components to
process equipment, have the right to be duly
concerned over such a control, particularly in light
of the apparent double standard among the non-
proliferation export control proponent States on
nuclear disarmament matters.
13. Malaysia has joined other like-minded States in
calling for a complete and irreversible elimination
of nuclear weapons from the face of the Earth,
starting with the request for the International Court
of Justice (ICJ) to render an Advisory Opinion on
whether the threat or use of nuclear weapons in any
circumstance is permitted under international law.
14. To make matters worse, there is also a
propensity for some countries to unilaterally judge
others as developing or harbouring an intention to
develop nuclear weapons, without due regard to the
findings of, or recourse to the authority of the
multilateral agencies that have been empowered to
make such a judgement. Furthermore, we have also seen
how biased such a unilateral judgement can be. If the
State developing such weapons is an ally, no action
is taken to curb the development or possession or to
institute nuclear export control. If not an ally, the
full military might and fury of those countries would
be brought to bear upon the States concerned.
15. As a result of such a propensity to unilaterally
act as an international prosecutor, judge and jury,
there is also now a threat for these countries to
launch pre-emptive military strikes on the nuclear
facilities of the alleged proliferating States, with
the current war on terrorism serving as a convenient
excuse.
16. Such a lack of clear moral standing between
pushing for nuclear export control and striving for
nuclear disarmament and also a propensity to
unilaterally act as prosecutor, judge, jury and
enforcer against others on non-proliferation matters,
will lead to a downward spiral to the detriment of
global nuclear non-proliferation objectives. More
States will, understandably, feel threatened and be
alarmed by such unilateralist actions, as well as the
use of pre-emptive military power.
17. As a result, the radical and hard-line
constituencies in the threatened States will grow and
be emboldened, with some, probably, even wishing to
take matters into their own hands, by resorting to
acts of terrorism, perhaps, even nuclear terrorism.
18. Even more dangerous is when the threatened
States are those that are predominantly populated by
people of a particular religious faith. This will
further lead to a perceived escalation in the
victimisation of countries and people of that faith,
following similar widespread perception in the
context of the current global war on terrorism.
19. Malaysia takes pride in being a Muslim country
adhering to the fundamental teachings of Islam and
will endeavour to use that position to advance the
cause of inter-faith dialogue, with a view to
promoting global peace and security. However, this
downward spiral on matters concerning nuclear non-
proliferation and disarmament will undermine such
efforts.
20. To stem this downward spiral, an international
dialogue to critically and objectively assess the
threat of nuclear weapon proliferation as well as the
lack of progress on nuclear disarmament, including
the linkages between the two, should be initiated,
with a view to developing a consensus on the most
effective means to address the problem.
21. The assessment should be conducted on a non-
partisan and objective basis, in order to avoid any
unilateralist tendency in the approach to be used,
and the judgment made to address the problem of
nuclear non-proliferation and export control.
22. Rightfully, the NPT Review Conferences should
have provided the avenue for such a dialogue, but
they have not. Similarly, the Conference on
Disarmament (CD) in Geneva should have provided
another avenue for such a dialogue, but the CD has
been stalled by the reluctance of the nuclear weapon
States, as well as their nuclear-umbrella States,
which are the most active proponents of stringent
nuclear export control, to link the issue of
developing a time-table for nuclear disarmament to,
initially, that of banning nuclear weapon tests, and,
currently, that of cutting off the production of
fissile nuclear material.
23. We have a duty to the world, and to the future
of Mankind, to urgently pursue such a dialogue, and
also to develop a broad consensus on the need to, as
well as the most effective multilateral approach to
achieve nuclear weapon non-proliferation and
disarmament. Let us not be blinded by narrow national
interests in doing this.
24. Malaysia has been assisting other developing
countries in the peaceful non-power applications of
nuclear technology, ranging from pest control,
healthcare, enhancing agricultural productivity,
increasing food quality, safety and security,
improving water resource management, industrial
applications, to pollution control, with a view to
enhancing the quality of life. In this regard, MINT
and other Malaysian agencies have hosted a large
number of regional and international training
courses, and also received a substantial number of
scientists from other developing countries for
fellowship training, either under the auspices of the
International Atomic Energy Agency or other
multilateral organisations. Malaysia hopes to be
able to continue doing this.
25. On that note, I officially declare open the
International Nuclear Conference 2002.
Sumber : Pejabat Perdana Menteri
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