@Green November/December 2025 | Page 18

SABAH

18

SABAH

@ green | November-December. 2025

MIDA accelerates green push

� Sabah holds natural advantages that position it as a major clean-energy hub in Malaysia’ s low-carbon transition.
�MIDA is focused on unlocking challenges related to grid access, connection costs and project implementation speed.
� Achieving Sabah’ s target of over 50 per cent renewable capacity by 2035 requires policy clarity, streamlined facilitation and deeper collaboration between MIDA and State agencies.

THE Malaysian Investment Development Authority( MIDA) strengthened Sabah’ s clean energy ambitions during a working visit to Kota Kinabalu from Nov 12 – 15.

The mission, led by the Green Technology Division, formed part of the MPSEA Solar Roadshow 2025 and reflected the federal agency’ s intention to position Sabah at the forefront of Malaysia’ s low-carbon transition.
During the visit, MIDA held targeted discussions with 14 key organisations, including Sabah Energy Corporation( SEC), SBH Kibing Solar and the Energy Commission of Sabah( ECoS).
The engagements centred on how strategic incentives, investor facilitation and streamlined processes could accelerate large-scale solar( LSS), wind energy, biomass and Battery Energy Storage Systems
( BESS) across the state.
MIDA highlighted that Sabah’ s natural endowments— particularly its strong solar irradiation— placed it in a unique position to attract quality green investments. The agency also reiterated the importance of Environmental, Social and Governance( ESG) adoption, especially for companies seeking long-term competitiveness in global supply chains.
The visit followed the announcement that Sabah recorded more than RM11 billion in approved investments in the first half of 2025. However, MIDA acknowledged that challenges remained, particularly in grid access, connection costs and the speed at which approved projects progressed from feasibility assessment to implementation.
Strengthening coordination with state authorities was therefore seen as essential in removing investment barriers and ensuring project bankability.
These efforts aligned with Sabah’ s ambition under the Sabah Energy Roadmap and Masterplan 2040( SE-RAMP 2040), which targeted more than 50 per cent renewable energy capacity by 2035.
By deepening collaboration, improving policy clarity and building investor confidence, the mission aimed to support a steady pipeline of clean energy projects capable of transforming Sabah into a leading green investment hub.

SEC charts green path Rural energy momentum

SABAH Energy Corporation( SEC) reinforced its commitment to steering the state towards a low-carbon future during its second Annual Planning Conference( PACE 2025), held on Nov 7 in Kota Kinabalu.
The event brought together senior representatives from government agencies, state-linked companies, and private-sector players to review Sabah’ s energy priorities amid rising industrial demand and rapid developments in renewable energy.
SEC Group CEO Datuk Adzmir Abd Rahman underscored the importance of long-term planning, noting that“ progress is not a reaction, it’ s a decision”.
With Sabah having assumed regulatory control over its own electricity supply, the conference highlighted the State’ s strengthened autonomy to shape a more resilient and sustainable energy system.
Dr Firdausi Suffian, CEO of Invest Sabah Berhad, presented an overview of Sabah’ s industrial outlook, emphasising the need to balance expansion with sustainability.
He pointed to the challenges of a grid system still heavily reliant on natural gas, and the opportunities offered by new investments in solar, wind and other
low-carbon sectors.
A panel discussion featuring leaders from major manufacturing and engineering firms explored how innovation, talent development and ESG commitments could support new green industries.
The session also discussed ongoing renewable energy projects, including large-scale wind developments and additional solar farms, and how these projects are linked to grid stability and Sabah’ s broader goals for self-sufficiency.
PACE 2025 ultimately reaffirmed SEC’ s intention to position Sabah as a regional green energy hub. By aligning planning frameworks with the Sabah Energy Roadmap and Masterplan 2040( SE-RAMP 2040), SEC aimed to attract high-value, low-carbon industries while strengthening energy reliability for both urban and rural communities.
RURAL electrification rose to the forefront of policy discussions in Sabah in November 2025, with State leaders, federal policymakers and development partners calling for accelerated progress to close the energy access gap affecting nearly half of Sabah’ s rural population.
Early in the month, the United Nations Development Programme( UNDP) and its NGO partners conducted field visits to Ulu Papar to review upgrades to community-based renewable energy mini-grid systems.
Developed under the Sabah RE2 Roadmap, these systems demonstrated the financial and environmental potential of decentralised renewable energy for remote settlements beyond
the reach of the primary grid.
The upgraded mini-grids replaced diesel generators, significantly reducing both emissions and the operational costs faced by rural households.
Federal attention intensified when Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim visited Sabah on Nov 15 and pledged support for reinforcing the State’ s energy infrastructure.
Leaders subsequently proposed a three-step reform plan to strengthen Sabah Electricity and streamline procurement processes over the next eight years. A key target was to reduce the system average power interruption duration index( SAIDI) to fewer than 100 minutes by 2030, signalling a push for greater grid reliability. – @ green