By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, May 13: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg today officially launched the Sarawak Hydrogen Economy Roadmap, a strategic guide that will drive the State’s hydrogen agenda through 2035 and beyond.
Delivering his keynote address titled ‘Charting A New Energy Future: Sarawak’s Hydrogen Economy in Action’ at the Hydrogen Economy Forum (H2EF) 2025, Abang Johari said the roadmap would serve as a compass to navigate both opportunities and challenges as Sarawak accelerates its transformation into a regionally recognised clean hydrogen powerhouse.
“While we have made impressive strides, the journey is far from over. Scaling hydrogen to commercial levels requires massive capital investment, advanced technology, skilled talent, and long-term policy stability,” he told forum attendees during the H2EF 2025 Launching Ceremony at a prominent hotel here today.
Meanwhile, at a press conference following the launching ceremony, the Premier emphasised that the roadmap is a crucial document that will guide policy implementation and ensure the right approach toward developing the hydrogen economy.
“The hydrogen economy is a relatively new approach to mitigating carbon emissions, and it also represents our contribution to addressing and lessening the impacts of climate change,” said Abang Johari.
He added that Sarawak is fortunate to be endowed with the necessary resources to strengthen its position and support global efforts toward achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
“Sarawak is doing its part by introducing various new technologies to help implement the policies outlined in our Hydrogen Economy Roadmap,” he said.
The Premier further noted that Sarawak is among the first to have a clear and structured roadmap towards a hydrogen economy, despite ongoing scepticism about hydrogen’s viability.
“Perhaps at this juncture, we are one of the first to have a clear roadmap towards a hydrogen economy. It’s not easy, because there are still many sceptics who remain unconvinced about hydrogen.
“But I believe with the advancement of technology, we can overcome this. I was informed that a global company operating in Poland has managed to reduce the cost of electrolyzers, which is a significant step forward.
“This means the cost of hydrogen production will decrease, making hydrogen a more viable and competitive fuel of the future. Sarawak is on the right track,” he said.
Abang Johari also revealed that during a recent meeting in London with representatives from the London School of Economics (LSE), discussions focused on advancing technological innovations and sustainability strategies.
“I believe that through such engagements, we can explore both technology and sustainability in our efforts to help reduce global temperatures,” he added.
It was reported that the Sarawak government will establish a dedicated team to collaborate with LSE on a new sustainability initiative aimed at preserving and enhancing the State’s rich natural capital while advancing human capital development.
At the same event, Abang Johari also witnessed the exchange of a Letter of Intent (LOI) between SEDC Energy and NGL Tech, as well as the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and Bureau Veritas, and between Sarawak Petchem and HighChem.
The event was attended by several dignitaries and officials, including Sarawak Deputy Minister for Energy and Environmental Sustainability cum H2EF 2025 chairperson, Datuk Hazland Abang Hipni, and Borneo Business Connect chairman cum H2EF 2025 organiser, Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin. — DayakDaily
