KUCHING: The 43rd Asean Senior Officials Meeting on Energy (SOME) here placed regional energy connectivity at the forefront, with Malaysia leading efforts to establish a framework for the Asean Power Grid and explore the development of an undersea power cable network.
Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) secretary-general Datuk Mad Zaidi Mohd Karli said Malaysia highlighted the theme ‘Powering Asean: Bridging Boundaries, Building Prosperity’ as the guiding vision for the regional energy sector during its Asean chairmanship in 2025.
“It is an honour for me to chair today’s SOME meeting,” Mad Zaidi said in his opening remarks on Monday (Jun 16), as reported by TVS.
“We’ve made consistent progress since January, and I want to reaffirm that ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’ are central to Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship in 2025.”
He added that the chosen energy theme ‘Powering Asean’ symbolises the unity, dynamism, and shared ambition needed to spur collective growth and prosperity across the region.
“The theme reflects the energy and momentum required to move Asean forward. Our ultimate goal is to enhance quality of life by driving economic growth and creating job opportunities,” he said, adding this meeting also aims to ensure that inclusive and sustainable development benefits all levels of society.
Mad Zaidi also highlighted Malaysia’s commitment to leveraging its Asean chairmanship to deepen cross-border energy cooperation, including frameworks to support regional grid interconnectivity.
He expressed confidence that the 43rd SOME would generate tangible outcomes aligned with both Malaysia’s national economic priorities and Asean’s collective goals for the year.
