KUCHING: Sarawak Premier, Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, has called for a strategic restructuring of Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) to better align with the state’s ambitious plans to scale up energy production and supply capabilities.
Speaking at the Sarawak Energy Vendors Excellence Awards 2025 Night on Friday, Abang Johari urged SEB’s board of directors to review the provisions under the Electricity Ordinance governing the utility, with a view to establishing a dedicated entity to spearhead expanded energy production for regional and international markets.
“I leave it to the SEB board to deliberate on this matter, and I look forward to receiving a proposal paper by the end of this year,” he said.
The Premier highlighted that the proposed restructuring supports Sarawak’s goal of reaching 10 gigawatts (GW) of energy generation capacity by 2030, and 15GW by 2035. This initiative is in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s vision of positioning Sarawak as the nucleus of the ASEAN power grid.
“The Prime Minister has identified Sarawak as a key player in the ASEAN energy grid, and we are moving towards realising this objective,” he stated.
Abang Johari further disclosed that SEB is in advanced negotiations to export electricity to Brunei, with ongoing plans to expand the state’s power supply network to Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. The state also aims to begin supplying electricity to Sabah by the end of this year, with future prospects to extend supply to the southern Philippines.
He emphasised that regional expansion would unlock new market opportunities for SEB’s vendor network across ASEAN nations, underscoring the importance of professionalism and capability within the vendor ecosystem.
“Once you meet SEB’s standards, opportunities will naturally follow. It is essential that our vendor ecosystem evolves in step with the expectations of the primary utility provider,” he added.
-Bernama
