Some 40 delegates from the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) member countries recently gathered for the 11th BIMP-EAGA Power and Energy Infrastructure Cluster (PEIC) meeting.
The meeting, chaired by Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Director Ir Wanhar, was hosted by the Department of Electrical Services (DES) at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) from September 3 until yesterday at a hotel in the capital.
Acting DES Director Ahmad Ridza bin Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Rahman and Head of Energy Transition Division at the Department of Energy at the PMO Shirley Sikun, co-hosted the meeting, attended by officials from Department of Energy, DES, the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) and representatives from BIMP-EAGA member countries.
Ahmad Ridza, in his remarks, said, “The PEIC plays a vital role in advancing the BIMP-EAGA vision by providing reliable access to sustainable energy, contributing to the economic growth of the subregion. The efforts of PEIC in sharing information on each country’s power projects, which not only enhance energy reliability but also promote regional cooperation through power interconnection initiatives, boosting trade and investments.”
Ahmad Ridza also called for continued government support from BIMP-EAGA member nations to implement power interconnection initiatives, which he said would benefit the region by driving vibrant economic activity and improving energy security.
“Let us continue to work together to realise the BIMP vision of interconnecting through power for the benefit of the communities within BIMP countries. On a bigger picture, BIMP-EAGA supports ASEAN initiatives on the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2016-2025 Phase II: 2021-2025, retaining the same theme of ‘Enhancing Energy Connectivity and Market Integration in ASEAN to Achieve Energy Security, Accessibility, Affordability and Sustainability for All’,” he added. – Azlan Othman
