Anti-nuclear campaigner Dr Ronald McCoy dies at 96

Anti-nuclear activist Dr Ronald McCoy, who conceived the idea for a movement that earned the Nobel Peace Prize, has passed away at the age of 96. Radio station BFM89.9 reported his death, confirmed by his son David McCoy. Born in Seremban in 1930, McCoy dedicated much of his life to opposing nuclear weapons while maintaining a long career as an obstetrician and gynaecologist.

His international recognition stemmed from his pivotal role in founding the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which secured the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017. The campaign emerged in 2005 following stalled talks on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, with McCoy proposing a global initiative akin to a successful anti-landmine movement.

ICAN mobilized hundreds of groups to advocate for a ban on nuclear weapons, playing a crucial part in the adoption of a UN treaty against them in 2017. McCoy, who graduated from Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur and completed his medical studies at Universiti Malaya in Singapore in 1949, later specialized in obstetrics and gynaecology.

He worked at Assunta Hospital and was among the founding members of Pantai Medical Centre, retiring from practice in 1996. His anti-nuclear advocacy began in the 1980s, beginning with the formation of the Malaysian Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War in 1987, a role he held for eight years as co-president of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, which received the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize for highlighting the dire consequences of nuclear conflict.

In 1995, McCoy served on Malaysia's team at the International Court of Justice, evaluating the legality of nuclear weapons. In 2018, he voiced opposition to U.S. plans for its nuclear arsenal, labeling Washington's intentions as "itching" to expand its nuclear arsenal, and cautioned against nuclear power in Malaysia due to financial implications, radioactive waste, and the risk of catastrophic accidents.

Throughout his life, McCoy consistently connected his anti-nuclear efforts to his medical career, emphasizing that the thousands of babies he delivered deserved to thrive in a world devoid of nuclear weapons.