Deputy plantation and commodities minister Chan Foong Hin said his ministry was also taking measures to develop a SAF ecosystem in the country.

These include the facilitation of licensing under the Malaysian Biofuel Industry Act 2007 for the development of SAF production plants, as well as support for related infrastructure such as storage, blending, transportation and distribution.

Chan said his ministry is also preparing a SAF production strategy document which would outline a strategic plan encompassing feedstock availability assessments and awareness campaigns on used cooking oil collection through collaboration with industry players and communities.

“The ministry is also drafting a proposal to introduce a 1% SAF blending mandate for international flights departing from KLIA starting January 2027.

“Implementation details are being finalised with industry players and other stakeholders,” he said during a question-and-answer session at the Dewan Negara today.

He was responding to a question from Senator Che Alias Hamid, who had inquired about the ministry’s measures to ensure that Malaysia becomes an SAF producer by 2027.

Chan said the National Biofuel Policy is being reviewed with proposed amendments to include SAF and other second-generation biofuels as strategic components, in line with technological advances and global market demand.

He said his ministry was confident that these efforts would strengthen Malaysia’s position as a leading producer and exporter of SAF in the region, while creating new opportunities for the country’s agri-commodity sector.