JOHOR BAHRU, MALAYSIA – The Safety, Health and Environment National Authority (SHENA) recently attended the 12^th Annual Meeting of the ASEAN Network of Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy (ASEANTOM), that was held for five days from 11–15 August 2025 in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The meeting was chaired and hosted by the Department of Atomic Energy, Malaysia, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Malaysia, in conjunction with Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship this year.

Established since 2013, ASEANTOM mandates include enhancing regional nuclear safety, security safeguards within the ASEAN Community and planning the future directions and finding effective solutions to issues related to nuclear technical affairs in the region. As a sectoral body under the ASEAN Political-Security Community, the annual meeting provides a key platform for knowledge exchange among regulators and experts, and for reviewing progress on planned regional initiatives.

The event gathered representatives from radiation regulatory bodies of all ASEAN Member States, alongside international organisations and ASEANTOM dialogue partners, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), European Commission (EC), Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC), and the Regional Cooperation Agreement Regional Office (RCARO).

The opening ceremony was officiated by Yang Amat Berhormat Dato’ Seri Fadillah bin Haji Yusof, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation of Malaysia, who emphasised ASEAN’s commitment to remaining a nuclear-weapon-free zone and called upon nuclear-weapon states to sign and ratify the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty. Also present were the Chief Minister of Johor and the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Malaysia.

Brunei Darussalam’s delegation was led by Yang Mulia Haji Muhsin bin Haji Ahmad, Chief Executive Officer of SHENA. SHENA’s participation reinforces Brunei Darussalam’s commitment to strengthening national regulatory capacity, in line with regional objectives to uphold the highest standards of nuclear safety, security, and safeguards within the ASEAN community.

Discussions during the meeting addressed key topics, including strategies for enhancing regional preparedness and response (EPR) to radiological and nuclear incidents, advancing nuclear security under the Integrated Nuclear Security Sustainability Plan (INSSP) in collaboration with the IAEA, and supporting the implementation of the SEANWFZ Treaty. The meeting also adopted the ASEANTOM Workplan 2025–2029 and endorsed guidelines to streamline ASEANTOM’s coordinated emergency communication procedures and strengthen its information-sharing mechanisms to enhance nuclear security in the region.

The meeting concluded with the handover of the ASEANTOM Chairmanship to the Philippines, who will host the 13^thAnnual Meeting in 2026.