Kuala lumpur: The Department of Atomic Energy Malaysia (Atom Malaysia) records an average of 15 radioactive smuggling attempts each year, with most incidents detected at Port Klang. Its deputy director-general, Monalija Kostor, highlighted that these cases often involve materials such as Cobalt-60 and Cesium-137, detected through Radiation Portal Monitors (RPMs) installed at the country’s border checkpoints.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Monalija detailed that smugglers frequently attempt to disguise these hazardous materials by falsely declaring them as benign goods. “Many of these cases are recorded at Port Klang, a major import and export hub. Several containers were found carrying radioactive substances, though they were declared as items like dairy products, toys, or textiles,” she stated at a press conference following the opening ceremony of the Malaysia-Indonesia-Thailand-Singapore Nuclear Security Detection Exercise (MITSATOM) 2025.

Monalija explained that when radioactive materials are smuggled into Malaysia, they are sent back to their country of origin. If materials are being smuggled out, the government seizes them and refers the case to court. “The court will decide whether the items are to be forfeited. In such cases, the government either takes possession of the materials for proper management or returns them to the owner after a fine is imposed,” she elaborated.

She emphasized the seriousness of such offences, noting that radioactive materials pose significant risks to public safety and national security. These materials are frequently used in industries such as oil and gas, plastics, and electronics. Monalija pointed out that illegal smuggling is often driven by attempts to avoid regulatory costs or due to ignorance of legal requirements. “Often, smuggling is done to cut costs or simply because they are unaware that radioactive materials are strictly regulated in Malaysia. Regardless, we will not tolerate such violations,” she asserted.

She further added that Atom Malaysia continues to enforce stringent control measures to ensure all imports and exports of radioactive substances adhere to national regulation.