19/07/2026
Thank you to everyone who attended SEPA’s forum, “Powering Sabah’s Future: Who Will Pay for Sabah’s Energy Transition?” on 18 July at Kinabalu Daya Hotel, Kota Kinabalu.
The forum attracted approximately 50 participants from government agencies, academia, industry, environmental organisations and the general public, reflecting the growing interest in Sabah’s energy future.
We were honoured to have Mr Terrence Kouju, Director of Strategic Planning at the Energy Commission of Sabah (ECoS), share Sabah’s energy transition roadmap and the challenges of ensuring a secure and reliable electricity supply as demand continues to grow.
During the panel discussion, moderated by Mr Alexander Yee, President of SEPA, Mr Eng Weng Hong, a consulting engineer with more than 40 years of experience, emphasised that development remains essential for Sabah’s future and expressed confidence that advances in technology can help mitigate many of the environmental impacts associated with energy development.
Dr Tom Ngui, Distinguished Fellow of the Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), offered a thought-provoking perspective by asking whether the solution to every energy challenge is simply to generate more electricity. He suggested that Sabah should also examine how energy is consumed, arguing that if we focus only on increasing supply without improving efficiency and reducing waste, energy demand may never seem enough.
The lively Q&A session reflected the strong public interest in the topic. Among those contributing to the discussion was former Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Raymond Tan, who suggested that Sabah should not focus solely on building more power generation facilities such as solar, hydro or wind energy projects. Instead, he argued that greater attention should be given to strengthening and connecting the existing transmission grid. In his view, Sabah may already have sufficient generating capacity in some areas, but the lack of adequate grid connectivity prevents electricity from being distributed efficiently across the state.
The possibility of nuclear power was also raised as one of the long-term options for meeting Sabah’s future energy needs. While some participants felt the option deserved serious consideration given rising demand and technological advances, others remained cautious, citing concerns over costs, safety, infrastructure requirements and public acceptance.
The discussion highlighted that there are no simple answers to Sabah’s energy challenges. Different perspectives were shared on how best to balance economic development, energy security, affordability and environmental sustainability.
As for the question, “Who Will Pay for Sabah’s Energy Transition?”, the discussion made it clear that there is no single answer.
The costs and responsibilities will likely be shared among governments, businesses, investors and consumers. Yet the challenge is not merely about who pays. It is also about how we balance economic development, energy security and environmental sustainability, while ensuring that the benefits and burdens of the transition are shared fairly.
Ultimately, Sabah’s energy transition is not just a technical or financial challenge. It is a question of priorities, choices and shared responsibility.
SEPA would like to thank our speakers, moderator, participants, sponsors and organising committee members for contributing to a lively, constructive and meaningful discussion.
Below is media coverage of the forum by Borneo Post and Sin Chew Daily.
https://www.theborneopost.com/2026/07/18/sabahs-energy-future-hinges-on-stronger-grid-nuclear-option-enters-debate/
https://www.sinchew.com.my/news/20260719/sabah/7681529?fbclid=IwVERDUATJPvdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR73G_X-JFM9QFfTVevXsJQ8jDCh5g3OxYUr9HtnmfeI1EK6N_91m2mgqlKXqQ_aem_53GgtELGG5RIO0VvA8jJyA
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Gu34pYrtR/
（亚庇18日讯）沙巴能源委员会（ECoS）策略规划总监特伦斯戈祖指出，随着太阳能、天然气及其他再生能源形成更优化的能源组合，沙巴整体平均发电成本有望下降至每千瓦时约35仙，为人民提供可负担的电力供应。他说，目前....
