Sarawak mulls setting up energy policy council

The Star

5 days ago

KUCHING: Sarawak is considering a proposal to set up a council to oversee energy policies in the state, says Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg.
The Premier said the state government was in the process of engaging with stakeholders, including the private sector, on the council's formation.
"We are looking into the possibility of setting up a Sarawak Energy Council where we coordinate all the stakeholders so that their businesses and policies are in line with the state policy," he told reporters after launching the Sarawak Energy Transition Policy (SET-P) here on Monday (Aug 11).
Abang Johari said the council was likely to be set up by next year once the engagement process was completed.
"This is to ensure that the public and private sectors have a common position," he added.
In his speech earlier, Abang Johari said SET-P was one of three landmark policies introduced by the Sarawak government to strengthen the state's environmental and economic resilience in the long term, along with the Sarawak Sustainability Blueprint and Sarawak Hydrogen Economy Roadmap.
He said SET-P was a comprehensive policy document to transform Sarawak's energy sector.
"It is a transformative policy that will guide our shift towards a low-carbon, secure and inclusive energy future while ensuring energy security, promoting environmental sustainability and maintaining economic affordability," he said.
Abang Johari said the policy was projected to contribute RM550bil in cumulative gross domestic product (GDP), create over 80,000 high-paid jobs and attract RM580bil-700bil in investments by 2050.
He said over 75% of the income generated was expected to benefit the low- and middle-income groups.
"This will ensure that our energy transition is just and inclusive," he said.
The policy is anchored on seven pillars of renewable energy, natural gas, energy efficiency, low-carbon mobility, clean hydrogen, CCUS (carbon capture, utilisation and storage) and alternative energy.
Abang Johari called for strong collaboration across all sectors to realise the policy's vision.
He said Sarawak also welcomed international partners to bring in innovation, investment and technical expertise in line with the policy.