KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 22): The government is still finalising a natural gas roadmap that will guide the development of Malaysia’s gas sector through energy transition. 

The target is to launch natural gas roadmap in the fourth quarter of this year, according to the Ministry of Economy. “A roadmap will matter only if it translates into projects, reforms and measurable outcomes,” Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said on Thursday. 

Akmal Nasrullah was delivering his ministerial address in a pre-recorded video for the Malaysian Gas Symposium 2026 organised by the Malaysian Gas Association.

Initially slated for release by the third quarter of this year, the roadmap is expected to be the most significant reset of Malaysia’s natural gas ecosystem since liberalisation began almost a decade ago.

The roadmap is expected to reshape how natural gas is priced, supplied and regulated nationwide, while aligning federal and state policies across Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. As a key transition fuel, natural gas is projected to account for 56% of Malaysia’s total primary energy supply by 2050, up from 43% currently.

The government remains committed to the National Energy Transition Roadmap, Akmal Nasrullah said, stressing that the energy transition must be practical by safeguarding security of supply and affordability while steadily reducing emissions.

Natural gas will remain important for electricity system flexibility, industrial production and high-value economic activities, he said, noting that decisions on gas supply and infrastructure involve commitments that extend over many years.

“This outlook therefore calls for timely planning and investment today,” he added.