Anwar said the APG would allow the region to harness renewable energy potential, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and deliver reliable, affordable electricity and energy across borders.

He said energy transition had been a key priority under Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship.

“One of the key thrusts of our chairmanship is energy – particularly energy transition, with a focus on developing the Asean Power Grid,” he said in his keynote address at the 43rd Asean Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) and the 25th Asean Energy Business Forum.

Anwar said Asean had made major strides in the energy sector this year, citing the adoption of Phase I of the Asean Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) and the enhanced memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the APG.

“These decisions mark major progress in regional cooperation and integration,” he said.

Anwar also underscored the importance of inclusivity in the region’s growth.

“We cannot continue with an outdated notion of progress that tolerates or condones inequality and stark disparities between regions, sub-regions, or between the rich and the poor,” he said.

Calling the APG “the backbone of regional cooperation that links sustainability, security, and affordability in real terms,” Anwar reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to the shared Asean agenda.

He said ambition must be matched with resources, stressing that the APG would require sustained investment and innovative financing.

Deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof, who is also energy transition and water transformation minister, said the 43rd AMEM marked another important milestone in Asean’s pursuit of sustainable energy cooperation.

He said under Malaysia’s chairmanship, the meeting had successfully achieved its 2025 priority economic deliverables.

“These include the endorsement of an enhanced MoU on the APG, the new APAEC 2026–2030 roadmap, and the launch of the APG Financing Initiative supported by the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank, with a combined commitment of over US$12 billion,” he said.