KUALA LUMPUR, July 15 — The government will study the need to set up a national petroleum reserve stock to ensure energy security amid geopolitical uncertainties and global supply crises, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
He added that the matter was decided at the National Energy Council (MTN) meeting he chaired today, to ensure the country’s energy transition agenda moves in line with the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR).
In a Facebook post, the prime minister said that as of December, the country’s installed renewable energy (RE) capacity had increased to 31 per cent, in line with the government’s efforts to reduce dependence on coal.
“This effort has also been strengthened through the successful Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS), which is now equipped with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS),” said Anwar.
In the transport sector, Anwar said B15 biodiesel continues to drive the country towards more sustainable alternative fuels, and that the field will be strengthened by the Petronas biofuel hub in Pengerang, Johor.
He said the public transport electrification project is also going according to plan, with 250 electric buses in operation and 800km of railtracks nationwide, while phase 1 of Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system hydrogen hub in Sarawak is scheduled for completion by year end.
Anwar said Malaysia must be prepared to ensure long-term energy security.
