Malaysia, Indonesia Hold Energy Cooperation Talks

Dato’ Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim bin Dato’ Zainuddin Mohd Hashim, Malaysia Ambassador to Indonesia

Jakarta, 05 Sya’ban 1437/13 May 2016 (MINA) – Malaysia and Indonesia held talks here today on bilateral cooperation, security and supply of energy resources in the future for both countries.

Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim said Malaysia, represented by Energy Commission and Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) had technical discussions on issues pertaining to energy resources supplies.

Indonesia, on the other hand, was represented by senior officials from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, Indonesian Coal Mining Association and PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara PT. PLN), Bernama was quoted by Mi’raj Islamic New Agency (MINA) as reporting.

He said the discussion was a joint-effort between the two countries in developing the energy-related industries in a “win-win” situation and that it served as an eye-opener for both parties to explore prospects in the future.

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Zahrain said among the matters discussed included the coal supply and strategic talks on several projects related to the supply of electricity along the Malaysian-Indonesian borders.

“Indonesia is a major coal supplier to Malaysia. This discussion leads to cooperation to ensure its continuous supply to meet the high demands due to (rise of) development projects in the two countries,” he told reporters here Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Energy Commission chairman Datuk Abdul Razak Abdul Majid said so far, Malaysia was still in need of coal as the major source of energy in its electrical power generation.

He said that although efforts were made to diversify the energy resources including the use of nuclear energy in Malaysia, the government has yet to make a decision because it needed a comprehensive study to see its long-term effects.

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Abdul Razak also said the use of coal as a source of energy was by far the best alternative as hydro power has been used extensively to the maximum in Malaysia.

TNB Energy Ventures vice-president Datuk Nor Azman Mufti said 90 per cent of the source of electricity generation in Malaysia came from coal and that Indonesia supplied about 70 per cent so far.

He said based on the discussion, the Indonesian coal suppliers had assured TNB to provide long-term continuous supply as Malaysia needed 28 million tonnes of coal per annum in order to supply electricity to the whole country.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Coal Mining Association chairman, Pandu J. Sjahrir said Malaysia was the first country in the region to plan its future supplies and formed strategic partnership based on a spirit of friendship. (T/R07/R01)

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Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)