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is whether women have the opportunity, support and space to put that talent to work."
As Malaysia encourages more women to enter science, technology, engineering and mathematics— STEM— and emerging green industries, it must simultaneously address the barriers preventing many from remaining in or advancing through the workforce.
Unpaid care responsibilities, workplace structures and unequal access to leadership cannot simply be dismissed as private or family matters.
They have economic consequences. They affect the workforce, productivity and ultimately the strength of Malaysia ' s energy transition.
Initiatives such as Malaysia Women in Energy( MyWiE) therefore have a role extending beyond increasing representation. They can create pathways for women to enter the energy sector, develop as leaders and contribute to building a stronger and more resilient industry.
A JUST TRANSITION
This is where the principles of Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion— or GEDSI— assume greater significance.
A just energy transition, Nancy said, must create decent opportunities while ensuring nobody is left behind. The challenge extends beyond gender. Families and communities require adequate support so the benefits generated by the transition towards sustainable energy are shared more widely rather than concentrated among those already positioned to take advantage of the emerging green economy.
Malaysia has begun putting some of the institutional foundations in place.
Nancy pointed to the country ' s first National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2025 – 2030, launched during the ASEAN WPS Summit.
At ASEAN Energy Gender Week 2026, Malaysia also joined regional partners in shaping a Shared Declaration of Intent aimed at integrating gender equality, disability
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and social inclusion throughout the energy sector.
Within government, Gender Focal Points and Gender Focal Teams have now been appointed across 46 ministries and agencies.
The mechanism is intended to help incorporate gender, disability and social inclusion considerations into national planning, including discussions surrounding implementation of the National Energy Transition Roadmap.
These measures also support Malaysia ' s responsibilities under the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those concerning affordable and clean energy, gender equality and climate action.
But Nancy cautioned against confusing plans and structures with results. Declarations, action plans and institutional frameworks are merely the beginning.
Their value ultimately lies in whether they produce better decisions, create wider opportunities and bring meaningful improvements to people ' s lives.
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BEYOND BORDERS
That human dimension sits alongside another central message from ISES 2026— that countries cannot undertake the
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energy transition in isolation.
The summit highlighted the importance of cross-border collaboration in accelerating Malaysia ' s sustainable energy agenda and strengthening cooperation within ASEAN.
Greater sharing of knowledge, innovation and clean-energy solutions across the region will be critical as countries confront common energy and climate challenges.
" Climate change does not stop at national borders, and no country can secure its energy future by acting alone," Nancy said.
That makes the summit ' s theme, " Envisioning Sustainable Energy Beyond Borders ", particularly timely.
Yet borders are not merely geographical. There are also economic, social and gender barriers that must be crossed if the transition is genuinely to work for everyone.
FROM TALK TO ACTION
For all the discussions, presentations and commitments made during the two-day gathering, Nancy suggested that the real measure of ISES 2026 would only become apparent after delegates had left the convention centre.
" The success of ISES 2026 will not
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be measured only by the number of delegates gathered here or the quality of the presentations we have heard.
" It will be measured by what we do next— by the partnerships we sustain, the investments we mobilise and the ideas we turn into action."
Most importantly, she said, progress must eventually be felt by the people and communities that the transition is intended to serve.
The second day of ISES featured plenary sessions, dialogues, deep-dive workshops, the SEDA Innovation Challenge, Bahas Piala Menteri and an exhibition.
Also present at the closing were Public Service Director-General and SEDA Malaysia chairman Tan Sri Dr Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz, who was also adviser to the 7th ISES 2026; PETRA secretary-general Dato ' Sri Mad Zaidi Mohd Karli; and ISES 2026 organising chairman and SEDA Malaysia Chief Executive Officer Dato ' Hamzah Hussin.
Nancy closed the summit with a challenge that perhaps captured its wider purpose.
" Let us leave this hall with more than optimism. Let us leave with the resolve to build an energy future that is innovative and competitive, but also fair, inclusive and grounded in the needs of people."
For Malaysia, that may ultimately be the more difficult part of the energy transition. Building renewable-energy capacity, developing new technologies and mobilising billions in investment are enormous undertakings.
But ensuring that the transformation reaches families, creates opportunities for women, includes vulnerable communities and allows everyone to participate in the new economy may prove every bit as important.
Because a transition that leaves people behind cannot truly be called sustainable. – @ green
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