PETALING JAYA, March 27 — Former Klang MP Charles Santiago today called on Malaysia to set a more ambitious renewable energy (RE) goal of at least 50 per cent by 2030, arguing that the current national target of 35 per cent is insufficient and leaves the nation vulnerable to global energy shocks.

Speaking at a media conference on the impact of geopolitical conflict on climate change, Santiago, who is a former chairman of the National Water Services Commission (Span), said that while Malaysia has made progress, its continued reliance on fossil fuels is a risk amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

“Given the ongoing geopolitical tensions and the need for greater energy independence, increasing domestic renewable energy capacity is essential for long-term resilience and sustainability,” he stated.

Santiago also questioned the country’s exploration of nuclear energy, specifically small modular reactors, to power the growing number of data centres.

He pointed to significant hurdles, including complex regulations, high costs of up to US$3 billion (RM12 billion) for larger reactors, and a lack of public consultation.

Instead of allocating billions to nuclear, he argued that a more practical approach would be to redirect those funds into scaling up Malaysia’s solar energy ecosystem to achieve or even exceed the 50 per cent RE target.

Other panellists at the event highlighted the global barriers hindering a swift energy transition.

Lidy Nacpil, coordinator of the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development, explained that crippling debt in developing nations often cancels out the benefits of climate finance.

She said that even when these countries receive funds, the money is frequently offset by large debt repayments to the Global North, perpetuating their economic dependence on fossil fuels.

“We are putting forward several important solutions. One of these is debt cancellation, a long-standing demand that many of us have been advocating for over decades,” Nacpil said.

Meanwhile, Harjeet Singh, Asia lead of the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, argued that global climate agreements have failed for 30 years because they do not directly confront the root cause of the crisis: the fossil fuel industry itself.

“Terms such as coal, oil, and gas are not explicitly addressed in the core frameworks of global climate governance,” Singh said.

“This is not a coincidence. It reflects the significant influence of the fossil fuel industry.”

He explained that this has resulted in global dependence on fossil fuels remaining stagnant at around 80 per cent for the past three decades, with renewable energy only meeting new demand rather than replacing existing sources.

* A previous version of the article incorrectly identified Charles Santiago as the present chairman of the National Water Services Commission. The error has since been corrected.