Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim Delivers Keynote Address at the GBA–ASEAN Conference on Energy Transition and Integration
The 2026 GBA-ASEAN Conference on Energy Transition and Integration brought together distinguished leaders, including Malaysia's Prime Minister, YAB Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, from across the Greater Bay Area of China and ASEAN for high-level discussions on how public policy, private investment, technological innovation, and multilateral cooperation can work together to build resilient, integrated energy systems across the region.
Access Prime Minister YAB Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim's remarks below.
The original transcript was published on the Prime Minister's Office of Malaysia Official Website. Watch the conference recording: https://www.youtube.com/live/yb-ay4X6-aU?si=0dYUPdXVCgj9T8AR&t=2973
Keynote Address
Assalamulaikum Warahmahtullah Wabarakatuh dan Selamat Sejahtera,
Yang Amat Mulia Tunku Dato’ Seri Zain Al-‘Abidin Ibni Tuanku Muhriz,
Saudara Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs;
Saudara Datuk Mohd Anuar Taib; dan
Rakan-rakan yang saya muliakan.
Satu penghormatan untuk bersama menjayakan GBA-ASEAN Conference yang tentunya sangat mendesak, kerana negara dan dunia tercabar akibat daripada kecuaian manusia mengendali, mengurus alam dan persekitaran. Dan justeru itu, perbincangan dan wacana yang segar harus diteruskan.
Dunia ini menuntut perubahan berdasarkan komitmen untuk mengangkat martabat kemanusiaan dan juga memelihara persekitaran. Saya percaya rakan-rakan yang hadir dari pelbagai negara akan menumpukan perhatian, berusaha dalam usaha gigih menuntut perubahan. Yang hadir percaya bahawa mengekalkan keadaan seperti mana yang wujud, bukan jawapan. Merubahnya, menjamin keselamatan, keadilan, keseluruhannya.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We meet at a time when the term global uncertainty and instability is becoming increasingly inadequate to describe the magnitude and degree of volatility and severity of the challenges that are confronting us today.
Jeffrey Sachs, of course, pronounced intellect, widely acclaimed and should be giving you this keynote address. But these are, I mean, you see, what are friends for? He gave me this rare honour, and I of course putting me I mean, I just finished a very long, lengthy and tumultuous cabinet meeting. I just finished about 1:15 pm just now. And those of you who follow Malaysian politics wouldn’t envy me. But there’s some great news in terms of honoring the principles of accountability, transparency and what we refer to as democratization process.
But back to this conference. Thank you again, Prof. Jeffrey Sachs who has been a great friend not only to Sunway, but also to Malaysia and the region. And I used to tease him to say that, you know, he remains to be one of the popular names in this country, in the region and also in the third World, primarily too, in the Muslim world, for his courage and conviction, for his tenacity of purpose and for a very consistent position principle to adhere to the issues of humanity, of justice and human rights. So, thank you again on behalf of all Malaysians. Thank you for being a great friend.
Now, February 28, 2026, will go down in the annals of modern history as the day of infamy. The day when the United States and the Zionist regime of Israel launched the start of deadly and ruthless airstrikes on Iran. And since then, thousands of civilians have been killed. It has precipitated countless engagements, affecting the region and in the process, the entire world.
Apart from the human toll and the destruction of critical infrastructure, we are now confronted with the massive disruption of economies and energy supply chains, a situation made even worse by the blockade on the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait.
And this takes us to the crux of our deliberations this afternoon, which is the way forward concerning our initiatives on energy transition and integration under these utterly chaotic and destabilizing circumstances.
Now, for many years, fossil fuel resources have powered industrial growth and helped increase living standards for Malaysia and many other countries in the world. But it is also undeniable that today this model is increasingly exposed to new global realities, not least the geopolitical tensions and eruptions I have just alluded to, which are disrupting supply chains and driving volatile prices. Now, these are not mere exhortations or pronouncements. It is affecting the lives of our people, including the most marginalized and the poorest.
Reliance on finite energy sources carries inherent risks. The transition towards clean, renewable energy sources is therefore not just an ecological preference; it is a core national security imperative. It is central to strengthening Malaysia and the region’s energy security. Equally, the transition is about economic competitiveness.
But let us share the inconvenient truth: we need capital to build solar farms, upgrade grids, install battery storage, and upskill workers. A massive, sustained, and structured capital. National governments cannot bear this burden alone. Achieving the energy transition at scale will require unprecedented collaboration among the public sector, private investors, and project developers.
In Malaysia, we have long recognized the power of innovative finance. Back in 2017, we launched the green sukuk, or Islamic bond. This was not a coincidence; it was a deliberate marriage of Islamic finance principles, which emphasize ethical stewardship, social justice, and tangible asset-backing, with the modern imperatives of environmental sustainability.
Since then, Malaysia’s financial markets have expanded dynamically, cementing our position as the region’s most attractive destination for sustainable investment. By incorporating the technological and structural innovations of the Greater Bay Area, we can accelerate the proliferation of renewable energy and build robust, modern power systems across our borders.
China’s clean energy is so massive that it takes up over a tenth of its GDP. For ASEAN member states, deeper engagement with China and other partner countries should be pursued through ASEAN-led mechanisms, such as the ASEAN Power Grid.
Remarkable feat and success because the ASEAN Power Grid from Vietnam under Sea cable to North Malaya right through Singapore and the second phase will cross Laos, Thailand into Malaya to Singapore. Then we have the Sarawak abundance of energy supply under Sea cable again to peninsular Malaya to Singapore through Sabah, Kalimantan and possibly Southern Philippines.
My focus last year, as alluded to by Professor Sachs, is to make sure this alternative green energy and this region, because it is very cohesive, one of the most peaceful regions in the world and economically dynamic, vibrant, can showcase how peace and sustainability with their focus on alternative energy and environmentally sustainable policy.
Now, the challenge is real. Energy transition does not proceed on a straight line, nor can integration proceed in isolation. Even before the current energy crunch, overdependence on fossil fuels has drawn much of ASEAN’s attention to alternatives such as solar and wind. And yet, nuclear power appears to be relegated to a lesser significance.
This is rather unfortunate considering that the region has substantive regulatory experience as well as the requisite technical expertise to proceed on a course of action that could significantly contribute towards the realization of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC)’s pillars.
In this regard, the three-fold objective of Malaysia’s National Energy Transition Roadmap bears analysis: firstly, to ensure a stable, affordable, and reliable energy supply; secondly, to serve as a driver of economic growth, and thirdly, to reduce emissions across targeted sectors while preserving natural ecosystems.
Under this roadmap, Malaysia has set a target of 31% renewable energy capacity by 2025, scaling up to 40% by 2035, and ultimately reaching 70% by 2050. We have committed to no new coal plants and to the gradual retirement of existing coal capacity. Natural gas will continue to play a stabilizing role in the near term as the country journeys towards its long-term aspiration of a higher share of renewables.
By any measure, these are ambitious goals. And yet, the Government, together with industry partners, is committed to pursuing them for the long-term benefits to our people and planet.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We stand at a crossroads in human history. We referred to the genocide in Gaza continuing. We refer to the genocide in Gaza which is continuing and many other contentious exclusive regions areas in the world and has exacerbated by a humanitarian crisis of untold proportions, of course of on top of brutal settler violence committed with utter impunity. Reference to this sub region alone will have ramifications in the region and the world. But cannot ignore the fact that this is an ongoing tragedy we witness on a daily basis, hundreds, thousands being murdered by the incessant bombardment of not only Iran and settlement, affecting the entire lives of men, women, children. And gradually US-Iran wars show no sign, no clear sign of coming to an end.
Looking from senses of power, we just pray and hope that sanity prevails. But we should be alarmed. The more so called civilized we are, the more sophisticated our technology, the more dehumanising and insane some of us have become and the worse those with such influence and power inflicting so much misery to so many people.
Ladies and gentlemen,
So, we are at an inflection point straddling a polycrisis that will continue to pose a formidable challenge to our resolve and our determination. Do we throw our hands up and resign our fate to destiny, or do we persevere in our endeavors?
I believe the answer is clear. We have charted a course, and our destination must remain in sight. For ASEAN, energy transition and integration warrant collective action and a convergence of resolve. Malaysia has taken an active role and will continue to do so.
And as we navigate this course, we must never lose sight of the ethical core of our mission. Some of you are familiar with MADANI framework, propelling growth, yes, digital transformation, energy transition. But we have never lost sight of our culture, our humanity and our ethics. That is sufficient what MADANI concept and society is all about.
A transition that is technologically brilliant but socially devastating is not a transition; it is an injustice. At the end of the day, energy transition and integration, or digital transformation is about the people. Hence, we cannot overstress the imperative of prioritizing the poor and the marginalized in these consequential ventures or else continue to perpetuate the gross social inequities.
The Global Bay Area represents a unique combination of global leaders in international finance, cutting-edge technology, and advanced manufacturing capability. It has been recognized as the World Intellectual Property Organization’s top Global Innovation Cluster, ranking ahead of technology hubs such as San Francisco, Tokyo, and Seoul. With its 86 million residents, an integrated and dynamic GBA acts as an indispensable partner that will profoundly benefit us here in Malaysia and all of ASEAN.
The decisions we make in these critical years will echo for decades. Let us be remembered as the architects of a green golden age, an era where the economy thrived, the environment healed, and our societies became more compassionate, just, and unified.