VERBATIM TEXT

 

OPENING REMARKS BY

 

THE HONOURABLE DATO’ SERI ANWAR BIN IBRAHIM

PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA

 

AT THE

 

3^RD ASIA ZERO-EMISSION COMMUNITY (AZEC)

LEADERS’ MEETING

 

 

Your Majesty, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

1. We are honoured to host the 3rd Asia Zero Emission Community Leaders Meeting 2025, and a warm welcome to all distinguished leaders present.

 

2. And I must express my appreciation to our co-chair, Japan, and to all AZEC partners for their steadfast commitment in advancing this vital platform.

 

3. This complements the priorities of Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2025, aligning closely with our overarching theme of Inclusivity and Sustainability. Together, these frameworks reinforce our shared vision of an Asia that thrives through cooperation, innovation, and equitable growth.
4. Building on this shared vision, Malaysia is optimistic that AZEC will continue to serve as a significant platform for mutually beneficial cooperation in energy transition, fostering partnerships that deliver tangible progress for our region and beyond.

 

5. From Malaysia’s perspective, the AZEC principle of one goal, various pathways, resonates deeply with our national approach to energy transition. It embodies our conviction that each nation must find its own route towards a low-carbon future.

 

6. Complementing our national efforts is the progressive development of the ASEAN Power Grid (APG), which is pivotal to achieving long-term energy security and climate ambitions.

 

7. AS an active participant in cross-border energy projects, urges all AZEC partners to lend their full technical expertise and financial commitment to accelerate the ASEAN Power Grid’s integration. A truly interconnected regional grid will unlock Asia’s vast renewable potential and make energy access fairer and more affordable for all.

 

8. Malaysia has taken decisive steps to strengthen our climate governance and accelerate energy transition. Which includes the Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage Act (CCUS) 2025, which lays the legal foundation for large-scale carbon management and a low-carbon economy.

 

9. Forthcoming, National Climate Change Bill and complementing these is the planned Carbon Tax, to be introduced in 2026. These initiatives mark a clear shift from ambition to implementation.

 

10. Last but not least, financing support for investment in low-carbon technologies. We welcomes continued financing for investment in low-carbon technologies such as hydrogen, CCUS, battery storage and biofuels.

 

11. In closing, let us leave this 3rd Leaders’ Meeting with a renewed sense of purpose. Our efforts to achieve carbon neutrality must be inclusive, technology-driven and regionally coordinated.

 

Thank you.