KUALA LUMPUR – Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg has proposed a restructuring of Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) to better support the state’s growing ambitions in energy production and export.
He urged SEB’s Board of Directors to review the state’s Electricity Ordinance – which governs the utility – and consider setting up a separate entity to focus on expanding energy output for regional markets.
“I leave it to the Board of SEB to look into this, and I hope that you (the board) can provide me with a (proposal) paper by the end of this year,” he said at SEB’s Vendors Excellence Awards 2025 Night yesterday, Bernama reported.
The restructuring plan, he said, is in line with Sarawak’s goal to produce 10 gigawatts (GW) of energy by 2030 and 15GW by 2035. It also supports Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s vision of making Sarawak the hub of the Asean energy grid.
“The prime minister has identified Sarawak as a central player in the Asean energy grid, and we are working towards that,” Abang Johari said.
He added that Anwar had also suggested Sarawak supply power to southern Philippines after completing a similar project to Sabah by the end of the year.
Abang Johari also revealed that SEB is in final talks to supply electricity to Brunei. There are also plans to extend the network to Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore – creating an Asean-wide energy loop.
This expansion, he said, will open doors for local vendors to tap into new markets across the region – but it also means they need to be ready for higher standards.
“This is why professionalism among our vendors is important. Once you reach the standard set by SEB, the job will come to you. It’s also vital that the vendor ecosystem stays in tandem with the expectations of the main employer,” he said. – May 17, 2025