Sarawak to become major renewable energy hub in Southeast Asia — PM Anwar
KUCHING: Sarawak, having established a foothold in the country’s green economy, will be the major renewable energy hub in Southeast Asia, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He says Sarawak is very much ahead in green economy among Asean countries, and is currently in the process of supplying green energy to Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia via undersea submarine cable.
“Sarawak is also building a hydro (power) dam in Kalimantan to supply green energy to Nusantara, the new capital of Indonesia,” he said in his address at the Invest Asean forum held during the Asean Australia Special Summit in Melbourne, Australia last Thursday.
In response to a question posed by Sarawak Australia Business Chamber (SABC) president Rodger Chan during a dialogue at the summit, Anwar also said Malaysia, as the host country of the Asean Summit 2025, would have Sarawak holding ‘one or two of the Asean events’ in Kuching.
This, he remarked, would be a good opportunity for Australia and other Asean members to visit Sarawak, as well as invest in Malaysia.
Meanwhile Chan, in a press statement, said it was timely and appropriate for Sarawak to be involved in the hosting of the Asean events next year so as to showcase the state’s potential as the hub for green hydrogen production and development.
“Sarawak has among the world’s oldest rainforest of over 140 million years old offering rich biodiversity and green energy potential, of which over 70 per cent of the total energy generation mix in Sarawak is from renewable energy,” he said.
“Next year will mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Malaysia,” he said, adding that SABC had undertaken the role as a lead partner to the newly-established Borneo Economic Community (BEC).
Initiated by the Asean Business Advisory Council, BEC comprises government and business chambers of Kalimantan, Sarawak, Brunei, Sabah and Labuan.
Also present at the summit were Australia Malaysia Business Council-Victoria president Nathanael Kitingan and SABC vice-president Henry Chuo.