KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 8, 2025 – Malaysia’s Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Haji Hasan, called for urgent action to bolster global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts during the ASEAN SEANWFZ Commission Meeting today, marking the 50th anniversary of the Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty.
Speaking at the opening session, Mohamad highlighted the escalating nuclear threat amid eroding trust among nuclear powers, modernization of arsenals, and emerging technologies like cyber warfare, quantum computing, and AI. “The Nuclear Age and Information Age have coalesced into humanity’s most dire period,” he warned, noting that nuclear weapons are now more dangerous than during the Cold War.
The minister expressed alarm over strained global non-proliferation regimes, citing heightened risks from ongoing conflicts. He referenced Ukraine, where nuclear escalation fears have surged due to rhetoric from Nuclear Weapon States (NWS), and the Middle East, where Israel’s unprovoked attack on Iran has deepened regional instability. Mohamad reiterated the International Atomic Energy Agency’s stance that there is no evidence of an Iranian nuclear weapons program and stressed that nuclear facilities must never be targeted.
Despite ASEAN’s success in maintaining a nuclear-free region, Mohamad voiced concern that Southeast Asia remains the only nuclear-weapon-free zone not formally recognized by NWS, with the SEANWFZ Treaty Protocol still unsigned. He welcomed the NWS’s readiness to engage with ASEAN and urged member states to resolve outstanding issues to secure their support.
The minister also celebrated Timor-Leste’s upcoming accession to the SEANWFZ Treaty, which will expand its scope, and praised ASEAN’s advancements in peaceful nuclear technology, including research in nuclear energy. He emphasized the treaty’s role as a cornerstone of ASEAN’s security architecture and its contribution to global disarmament.
Mohamad called for unity among ASEAN members to uphold the treaty as a “living, dynamic commitment” and ensure Southeast Asia remains free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. The meeting is expected to address strategies for advancing the treaty’s objectives and strengthening regional security norms.
ASEAN Secretary-General and Timor-Leste’s Foreign Minister were among the distinguished attendees at the session.