Malaysia

NETR collaborations were commercial, not ministerial, says Nik Nazmi

Nik Nazmi rejects allegations of favouritism in projects linked to the National Energy Transition Roadmap

Updated 7 months ago · Published on 23 Feb 2026 4:43PM

NETR collaborations were commercial, not ministerial, says Nik Nazmi
Ex-minster insists the arrangements in question were strictly private-sector commercial agreements governed by regulatory frameworks - February 23, 2026

FORMER Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, has firmly denied claims that he approved or favoured particular companies in relation to initiatives under Malaysia’s National Energy Transition Roadmap.

In a statement, the Setiawangsa Member of Parliament described recent allegations as “inaccurate” and rooted in “a misunderstanding of the regulatory framework.”

He maintained that the projects cited were not government-awarded undertakings, nor subject to ministerial discretion.

“Recent allegations suggesting that I was involved in approving or favouring specific companies in relation to the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) are inaccurate and reflect a misunderstanding of the regulatory framework,” he said.

Nik Nazmi noted that the issue surfaced shortly after eight Members of Parliament called on the Chief Commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to take leave pending an independent investigation into alleged corporate misconduct highlighted in a Bloomberg report.

He implied that the timing of the allegations warranted scrutiny.

At the centre of the controversy is a Memorandum of Understanding between private entities, which Nik Nazmi characterised as a commercial collaboration aligned with Malaysia’s broader energy transition objectives. He stressed that the arrangement was neither a government-conferred project nor the result of ministerial approval.

“The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the private entities concerned was a commercial collaboration aligned with broader national energy transition efforts, not a government-awarded project nor a ministerial approval exercise,” he said.

He explained that the project falls under Malaysia’s Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme, introduced in September 2024 to enable corporate consumers to procure renewable electricity directly from developers via third-party access to the national grid.

Under this model, agreements are commercially negotiated between private parties and regulated by the Energy Commission and relevant grid operators.

“The framework does not involve direct government funding, nor does it require or provide for ministerial approval of individual corporate Power Purchase Agreements,” he added.

Nik Nazmi further emphasised that memoranda of this nature represent private-sector intent to explore investment opportunities consistent with the National Energy Transition Roadmap, rather than instruments of state allocation or preferential treatment.

“MOUs of this nature signify private sector intent to explore investment opportunities consistent with NETR; they are not instruments of project award or preferential allocation by the Government,” he said.. - February 23, 2026

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