5 days ago
Sabah delegates gain strategic insights at Energy Asia 2025
Mohd Hanafiah (centre) visiting the immersive tunnel at the Energy Park — a three-day pop-up exhibition set up by Petronas in conjunction with Energy Asia 2025, showcasing its net-zero ambitions through interactive experiences.
KOTA KINABALU (July 18): The Energy Asia 2025 conference in Kuala Lumpur served as a valuable platform for Sabah delegates to gain insights into Asia's evolving role in the energy sector — particularly in the context of driving a just and inclusive energy transition.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Mohd Hanafiah Mohd Kassim, described it as a fast-track introduction to energy transition as speakers and eminent experts shared their insights during the three-day conference held at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from June 16 to 18.
Attending the conference for the first time, Mohd Hanafiah described it as an eye-opening and impactful experience.
'I believe this platform serves as a fast track for me to understand where we stand in our energy initiatives, particularly from the perspectives of innovation and strategy. The speakers were brilliant, able to articulate complex issues in 15 minutes, and respond to questions with clarity and depth. It's been an eye-opening experience.'
He was particularly interested in the dialogues that touched on regulation and governance in dealing with energy transition. He noted that to develop effective and competent regulatory frameworks, a one-size-fits-all approach would not work.
Another Sabah delegate, Chief Executive Officer of Invest Sabah Berhad Dr Firdausi Suffian said that Energy Asia clearly spelled out that there can be no net zero without Asia.
'The sharing here highlighted the importance of collaboration, diversification, and, of course, upskilling.
These are not just buzzwords; they are strategic imperatives if we are serious about driving a just and inclusive energy transition in this region, ensuring that no one is left behind as we move towards a more sustainable and resilient energy future,' he said.
Firdausi called on policymakers and industry players, as well as academics and civil society, to attend such conferences, saying they had a role to play in understanding and supporting energy transition, which requires a collective and inclusive approach to ensure long-term sustainability and resilience.
'If you look at the entire programme and discussions, they all seem to share a common consensus, which can be summarised very clearly: the energy transition must be approached through the lens of context,' he added.
Energy Asia, hosted by Petronas in partnership with Knowledge Partner CERAWeek by S&P Global, wrapped up with a powerful call to accelerate a just, inclusive, and practical energy transition.
The event gathered over 4,000 participants from 60 countries and 38 sectors, uniting policymakers, investors,
innovators and energy professionals under one roof to exchange insights and drive forward-looking solutions.
Through more than 50 strategic dialogues across seven sub-themes, Energy Asia explored the collaborative efforts among Asian nations to strengthen energy security, advance renewable energy adoption, implement decarbonisation solutions, enable technology transfer, and drive both economic and socio-economic development.
