Energy transition and water transformation ministry (Petra) secretary-general Mad Zaidi Karli said the updated APG MoU was crucial for improving electricity connectivity across Asean and strengthening regional energy security.
The meeting will also review draft guidelines for subsea cable initiatives, such as linking Sarawak’s hydropower to high-demand areas in Southeast Asia.
This year’s theme, “Powering Asean: Bridging Boundaries, Building Prosperity”, reflects the goal of fostering stronger regional cooperation through energy integration.
About 250 participants, including senior energy officials and representatives from the Asean Secretariat and Asean Centre for Energy, are attending the three-day meeting.
The discussions will help set the stage for the 43rd Asean Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) in Kuala Lumpur this September.
Negotiations on the revised APG MoU are expected to conclude with its signing at AMEM.
Plans for a new regional subsea cable network – agreed to by Asean leaders last year – are also on the agenda. This follows the decommissioning of a previous system linking Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines, which was completed in 1983.
Hosted by Petra as part of Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship, the meeting includes all 10 Asean member states, with Timor-Leste as an observer. Dialogue partners such as China, Japan, South Korea, the US, and Russia, along with global energy agencies, are also participating.
The agenda includes reviewing the Asean Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC), preparing decisions for the upcoming ministerial meeting, and advancing discussions on:
- The Asean Power Grid
- Regional energy security
- Renewable energy financing
- Energy transition funding
- Grid integration
- Finalising the APAEC policy document
- Endorsing the Asean Petroleum Security Agreement
The meeting also aims to align regional energy strategies and strengthen cooperation on shared priorities.