27/09/2025

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SATURDAY | SEPT 27, 2025

Govt confident of achieving 2025 renewable energy target

Ű BY HAYATUN RAZAK sunbiz@thesundaily.com

SHAH ALAM: Malaysia is confident of achieving its target of 31% renewable energy (RE) in the national power mix by December, with about 4,000MW of large-scale solar projects already energised under the government’s procure ment programme. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the government is optimistic about reaching the 31% target by year-end, and this will be realised through close collaboration between the public and private sectors, as well as with international investors. Under the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), intro duced in 2023, Malaysia has set renewable energy capacity targets of 31% by 2025, 40% by 2035 and 70% by 2050. Since the launch of the NETR, the government has approved addi tional deployment of 5.5GW of new RE capacity, which translates to an investment value of RM25 billion, contributing towards the intended target of the roadmap. “We are on track to attract

opportunities are being explored with potential off-takers, including petrol stations, commercial hubs, and even nearby schools that have expressed interest in participating. Sime Darby Property group managing director and CEO Datuk Seri Azmir Merican said with this pilot, the company is demonstrating a model that aligns townships with national energy transition goals. “By turning homeowners into active participants, we are reducing the community’s carbon footprint, while supporting property value creation and potential income generation for residents. “This collaboration demonstrates how public-private partnerships can accelerate Malaysia’s renewable energy transition in a scalable, community-focused manner.” TNB CEO Datuk Megat Jalaluddin Megat Hassan said in support of the NETR, TNB, together with its subsidiary GSPARX, as the rooftop solar system installer, is delighted to contribute rooftop solar solutions and Malaysia’s first community energy storage system to the Elmina township. “This initiative aims to empower the community with cleaner, more reliable energy and to support the grid by enhancing flexibility and resilience, helping to create a more sustainable energy future”. Sime Darby Property plans to expand this initiative to more of its townships, further scaling the Cream framework in partnership with TNB and other stakeholders. This positions the group as a key private sector driver in supporting the government’s long-term goal of achieving 70% renewable energy generation capacity by 2050. However, there is still vast untapped potential in manufacturing, health care, renewable energy and MSME collaboration. “Our partnership is a natural fit. The challenge now is to move beyond dialogue and create action able pathways that deliver tangible gains,” he said. Prasada also noted progress in interoperability of payment systems, cooperation in semiconductors and renewable energy, and scaling up commerce in traditional sectors such as agricultural commodities, petro leum, textiles and engineering pro ducts. Industry leaders added that Malaysia’s chairmanship presents an opportunity to drive breakthroughs in digital integration, green transi tion, and connectivity projects, such as the India-Myanmar-Thailand corridor.

ensure the programme benefits the people.” Further, Fadillah noted that the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act 2023 has been passed in Parliament, while the Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage Bill has been tabled. Meanwhile, the Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (Cress), launched in 2024, has received an encouraging response, with its wheeling charges reviewed to make the scheme more attractive. “Cream has also been introduced alongside other supporting pro grammes. The launch of Cream is central. It allows homeowners to lease or rent out their rooftops to third parties, who aggregate multiple rooftops into one system to generate solar electricity,” Fadillah said. Sime Darby Property’s Cream pilot project in the Elmina township introduces a rooftop leasing model where homeowners’ properties are converted into solar energy generators without requiring upfront investment. Participating households will derive income from leased rooftop space, while directly contributing to Malaysia’s green energy transition. As the designated Local Energy Generator Aggregator (Lega), Sime Darby Property will install, operate and manage the solar infrastructure in collaboration with GSPARX Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), as its technical partner. The RE generated will be channelled through TNB’s grid to Sime Darby Property’s nearby Innovation Park, located within 5km of the participating homes, which will serve as the Local Green Consumer. Beyond this pilot, scale-up foundation of shared prosperity and growth. Malaysia plays a very important part in this story. It is not a coincidence that Malaysia is also a country coordinator for the Asean India Economic Framework,” he said. He added that India was com mitted to building resilience by strengthening trade and supply chains, enhancing digital and people to-people links, and ensuring sustain ability through climate-conscious growth. “Governments can create policies, but it is your vision, risk resilience and innovation that will make the Asean India economic partnership the defining story of the Indo-Pacific,” he told business leaders. Earlier, AIBC senior exco member and Asean-India Economic Council chairman Datuk Ramesh Kodammal said bilateral trade had already surpassed US$123 billion in 2024-25.

o Goal of 31% RE in national power mix by December within reach through close public private sector collaboration and international investments: Fadillah

would encourage more partici pation from homeowners and developers, with Sime Darby Property acting as the first local renewable energy aggregator in the pilot project. He added that the government is also looking to review the charge for solar projects to encourage more players to participate in these initiatives. “We need to review it to see its viability, whether it can be further reduced or not. We want to

between RM1.2 trillion and RM1.3 trillion by 2050 under the NETR,” Fadillah said at the launch of Sime Darby Property’s Community Re newable Energy Aggregation Mecha nism (Cream) project yesterday. The project is Malaysia’s first residential rooftop solar initiative. To support commercial viability, Fadillah said the government recently cut the community access charge under Cream by 40%, from 15 sen/kWh to 9 sen/kWh. This

Fadillah (fifth from left) at the launch of Sime Darby Property’s Community Renewable Energy Aggregation Mechanism project at Elmina Sales Gallery, Shah Alam, yesterday.

Malaysia to drive Asean-India trade agenda as flows deepen

economy, renewable energy, logistics and SME development. India’s Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada reinforced the call for stronger ties, describing the partnership as needing to be “resilient, connected and sustainable”. “Together, Asean and India represent a community of two billion people, a combined GDP of nearly US$7 trillion and a youthful workforce ready to lead the global economy,” he said in his keynote address. Prasada urged deeper coopera tion in electronics, pharmaceuticals, agriproducts and healthcare, while highlighting new initiatives such as the Malaysia-India Digital Council and the India-Malaysia Startup Alliance, aimed at boosting innovation and entrepreneurship. “A connected Asean-India is the

– the responsibility to guide Asean’s economic agenda at a critical moment and the opportunity to strengthen our cooperation with partners like India,” he said at the Asean-India Business Summit 2025 yesterday. He noted that Asean and India together represent nearly two billion people and a gross domestic product (GDP) of more than US$6 trillion (RM25.3 trillion). “By aligning Asean’s prioities with India’s ambitious growth agenda, we can unlock new areas of prosperity that benefit not only our two regions but the wider global economy as well,” he added. Gobalakrishnan pointed to India’s transformation into the world’s fifth largest economy, with the potential to soon become the third largest. He said this shift opens new prospects for collaboration in the digital

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is set to play a central role in advancing Asean-India economic ties as the Asean Chair in 2025, with leaders calling for bold new trade and investment targets to unlock oppor tunities in digitalisation, renewable energy, logistics and small and medium enterprises. Asean-India Business Council (AIBC) co-chairman and National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia president Datuk Seri N Gobalakrishnan said the timing could not be more significant as Malaysia assumes leadership at “a critical moment” in the regional economy. “This year is particularly meaning ful for us in Malaysia as we hold the Asean chairmanship. With this comes more responsibility and opportunity Ű BY DEEPALAKSHMI MANICKAM sunbiz@thesundaily.com