Malaysia expands and extends palm biodiesel program

Will promote Malaysia as leading country in renewable fuels.

Malaysia will extend its palm biodiesel program to states in the country’s northern region in October and to Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu states in January 2014. Expansion into Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan will take place in July 2014. Some 500,000 tonnes of crude palm oil will be converted to palm biodiesel a year by this month.

By this time, the northern region, the east coast states, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan will be joining the central and southern regions in the mandatory use of palm biodiesel for the subsidized sector.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Douglas Uggah Embas said this move reflects the commitment by the government to continue the biodiesel program and reduce dependency on fossil fuels.