By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 30: Mizuho Bank Asia Pacific, a global bank with one of the largest customer bases in Japan, has expressed its readiness to collaborate with and support Sarawak in the development of sustainable energy projects, including hydrogen, carbon, and biomass.
According to a Sarawak Public Communication Unit (UKAS) report, Mizuho Bank Asia Pacific chief executive officer Koichi Zaiki said this following a courtesy call on the Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, at the Satria Pertiwi Complex here today.
He said the visit served as a platform to introduce Mizuho Bank’s capabilities in the field of decarbonisation, which the bank has been leading in the Asia Pacific region, thereby opening opportunities for further collaboration in Malaysia, particularly Sarawak.
According to him, Mizuho Bank has extensive experience in global projects such as carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen, and thus sees great potential in bringing its expertise and Japanese clients to participate in strategic projects in Sarawak.
“As a bank, we can not only provide financing, but also advisory services to ensure that the projects here can be realised in a bankable and viable manner,” he told reporters.
Zaiki added that the bank had also briefed the Sarawak Premier on its ongoing collaboration with the Sarawak Ministry of Energy and Environmental Sustainability (MEESTy) through several workshops themed around hydrogen, biomass, and carbon credits.
“We also discussed the potential financing of projects in Sarawak and the possibility of partnering with local banks to ensure the projects are implemented in a viable manner. The Premier was very positive and willing to help accelerate these efforts,” he added.
Also present was Toshiharu Fujiwara, chief executive officer of Mizuho Bank Malaysia. — DayakDaily
