Kuala lumpur: Malaysia needs clear policy and regulatory direction to maintain investor confidence and support the country's energy transition agenda, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said on Thursday. He emphasized the importance of consistent policies and a stable regulatory framework to assure investors that Malaysia remains committed to its long-term development goals, despite potential changes in political leadership.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Fadillah highlighted the necessity of consistent messaging to investors during a Ministerial Session on 'Powering Malaysia's Next Growth Chapter: Energy, Economy and Digital In Sync' at the Energy Transition Conference 2026 (ETCon26). He stated that government institutions and the civil service play a critical role in ensuring continuity in policy implementation, regardless of changes in ministerial portfolios or political developments.
Fadillah, who also serves as the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, announced his ministry's plans to collaborate with other ministries to strengthen energy infrastructure as a strategic national enabler. This initiative aims to move beyond merely providing energy to meet market demand. He further emphasized the need for a structured whole-of-government approach to enhance coordination among ministries and agencies, thereby improving the country's competitiveness.
While mechanisms exist to facilitate cross-government collaboration, Fadillah stated that a more comprehensive approach is required moving forward. Streamlining approval processes to improve efficiency and shorten turnaround times is crucial, as is ensuring infrastructure readiness, particularly in energy supply, aligns with Malaysia's economic development plans.
Fadillah also stressed the importance of strengthening Malaysia's regulatory and legal framework to support emerging technologies and industries, especially in addressing challenges posed by artificial intelligence, including deepfake technology. He called for the necessary infrastructure, regulations, and legislation to be in place to support economic growth and digital transformation.
He noted that Malaysia's energy transition efforts must be guided by the energy trilemma of security, sustainability, and affordability, with a target for renewable energy to comprise 70 percent of the country's total electricity generation capacity by 2050. Addressing the challenges of renewable energy's intermittent nature, Fadillah mentioned that Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has committed to investing more than RM40 billion to upgrade and digitalize the grid system.