27-05-2025
Sarawak to supply power to Sabah
Published on: Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Published on: Tue, May 27, 2025
By: Bernama Text Size: Sarawak expects to generate 10 gigawatts of energy production by 2030 and 15 GW by 2035. — File picture by Shafwan Zaidon KUCHING: Sarawak is stepping up plans to deeply integrate into the Asean Power Grid, says Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg (pic). According to him, the East Malaysian state had been supplying electricity to West Kalimantan, Indonesia, for the past six years, and it is currently in the process of supplying electricity to Brunei. 'Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) has asked me to study the possibility of supplying power from Sarawak to Sabah and to connect to Brunei. 'Sarawak will play its part to contribute to the Asean Grid,' he said at the Sustainable Leadership Fireside ChatLeading Asean's Sustainable and Digital Frontier at the Asean Women Economic Summit 2025 (AWES 2025) held in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, as reported by Bernama. Abang Johari said Sarawak was also actively enhancing its grid infrastructure to strengthen power distribution across the state and beyond. 'Sarawak has targeted to generate 10 gigawa s (GW) of energy production by 2030 and 15 GW by 2035.'
Advertisement The session was moderated by UOB Malaysia chief executive officer (CEO) Ng Wei Wei. UOB Malaysia is the main sponsor of AWES 2025, with Kuok Brothers Sdn Bhd as the empowerment partner. On women and leadership, Abang Johari said the role should be assigned based on merit and qualifications, rather than gender, while societal acceptance of women as leaders is crucial in the right step forward. Citing examples, he said India's Indira Gandhi and Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto who had served as prime minister in their respective countries, had shown that despite societal biases, effective leadership could rise above gender-based limitations. He also said the societal acceptance of women in leadership roles is crucial, as some Asian cultures still face gender bias, but examples like Indira Gandhi and Benazir Bhutto show that change is possible. On another matter, Abang Johari said the Sarawak government was optimistic that hydrogen production energy costs could be reduced to just 10 kilowatt hours per kilogramme (kWh/kg), down from the current 30 kWh/kg, through strategic collaborations with global partners. 'This target is achievable through ongoing cooperation with renowned German energy company Siemens Energy, as part of the state's efforts to enhance the energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness of hydrogen production. 'What I am saying here is that we are moving towards clean hydrogen,' he said during the AWES panel session, which was reported by the Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas). Abang Johari further said through joint research efforts with the Petronas Research Division and a Japanese company, Sarawak had successfully reduced energy consumption for hydrogen production from 60 kWh/kg to 30 kWh/kg, using new membrane technology. 'This research not only saves energy, but also helps Sarawak meet environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.' Abang Johari also stressed that clean energy development would be a significant contribution by Sarawak and Malaysia toward creating a more sustainable and environmentally friendly world. The two-day inaugural AWES 2025, which kicked off last Saturday, was held on the sidelines of the 46th Asean Summit, held under Malaysia's 2025 Chairmanship. It was attended by over 700 delegates representing government, business, and civil society across Asean. Themed 'Empowering Women, Energising Asean: Pioneering Economic Integration for a Resilient Tomorrow', AWES highlighted the urgent need to position women at the forefront of Asean's economic transformation, particularly in addressing current challenges such as global tariff wars, digital transformation, and sustainable development. It also featured discussion and strategic brainstorming sessions, leadership lab and mentorship programme. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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