Malaysia calls for closer regional energy cooperation at Azec meeting
Discussions covered supply security, low-carbon technologies and voluntary oil storage expansion, while an ammonia fuel feasibility study agreement was signed.
Malaysia called for stronger regional energy ties to keep supplies reliable and affordable while advancing its low-carbon transition at an Azec ministerial meeting on Oct 8. Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir presented the government’s position in Manila, the Philippines, according to the Ministry of Economy.
The ministry said cooperation through the Asia Zero Emission Community (Azec) supports the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR). Areas covered include renewable energy, energy efficiency, green mobility, infrastructure and financing for the transition.
Malaysia also identified hydrogen, methane emissions reduction and carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) as potential areas for collaboration. The ministry said Malaysia welcomed technological, financial and capacity-building support from Japan and other Azec partners. Akmal Nasrullah stressed that the transition should account for people’s needs, national capabilities and economic growth.
All 11 Azec members attended. Talks addressed geopolitical risks to energy supplies, including possible disruption to routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Members considered voluntary expansion of oil storage, depending on each country’s circumstances and capabilities, alongside energy-security cooperation through Japan’s POWERR (Partnership On Wide Energy and Resources Resilience) Asia initiative.
Separate discussions with Australian and Japanese representatives covered gas supply, energy security, hydrogen and CCUS. A special session with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates examined possible collaboration to safeguard petroleum supplies.
Akmal Nasrullah witnessed IHI Corporation and TNB Power Generation Sdn Bhd sign a memorandum of understanding for an ammonia fuel development feasibility study. He also witnessed an exchange of a letter of intent on energy transition between Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Meti) and the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra).
