Kuala Lumpur: ASEAN member states must strengthen regional energy cooperation as part of a shared prosperity strategy, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof. Fadillah, who is also Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, highlighted existing cross-border partnerships in the energy sector, such as collaborations between Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Fadillah explained that Laos supplies energy to Singapore, which involves transmitting through Thailand and Malaysia, with Laos paying a wheeling fee for this arrangement. However, disruptions can occur, such as during winter when water sources freeze, prompting Laos to draw power from Thailand and Malaysia to maintain the supply to Singapore. This cooperation exemplifies the mutual support among ASEAN member states.
Fadillah’s remarks came after the Luncheon Power Talk session titled “Shared Prosperity: The New Imperative for ASEAN’s Economic Growth,” held as part of the ASEAN Women Economic Summit (AWES) 2025. Singapore currently imports up to 100 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy from Laos through the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP), with plans to increase to 200MW, including supply from Malaysia.
Malaysia remains committed to the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) and is actively pursuing the ASEAN Power Grid to create a connected and sustainable energy ecosystem. Following a recent gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights, Malaysia has initiated discussions with Thailand to supply gas to the northern region, illustrating shared prosperity through mutual assistance.
Fadillah emphasized the challenge of ensuring a stable energy supply, or baseload, which is not guaranteed by weather-dependent sources like solar and wind. Consequently, Malaysia continues to rely on coal, gas, and diesel, but is also transitioning towards clean energy sources, including hydrogen, nuclear, hydropower, and biogas.
In line with the shared prosperity approach, Malaysia is committed to empowering women in national development, focusing on entrepreneurship, employment, and capacity building. Women’s empowerment is evident through their increasing presence in higher education and professional fields.
Fadillah stressed the importance of creating opportunities for women and marginalized groups, particularly in remote rural areas, to address digital divides and development disparities. The session was moderated by Kuok Meng Xiong, managing director of Kuok Brothers Sdn Bhd and founder of K3 Ventures.
UOB Malaysia sponsored AWES 2025, with Kuok Brothers Sdn Bhd as the empowerment partner. The two-day AWES 2025, held in conjunction with the 46th ASEAN Summit under Malaysia’s 2025 Chairmanship, attracted over 700 delegates. The event, themed “Empowering Women, Energising ASEAN: Pioneering Economic Integration for a Resilient Tomorrow,” underscored the need to position women at the forefront of ASEAN’s economic transformation, addressing challenges like global tariff wars, digital transformation, and sustainable development. It featured discussions, strategic brainstorming sessions, leadership labs, and mentorship programs.