Kota Kinabalu: Sabah must focus on three key priorities in its energy transition efforts to ensure meaningful progress and long-term sustainability, said Technical Adviser (Energy) to the Chief Minister Datuk Dr James Lim.
First, he said a practical energy transition must take into account reliability of supply, affordability and implementation capacity.
“Unreliable energy harms industry, unaffordable energy burdens the people and unimplementable plans reduce sustainability to mere presentation,” he said.
Second, he emphasised the importance of strategic partnerships across public, private, technical, investor and community sectors.
He noted that fragmented efforts slow delivery, while coordinated efforts with clear roles and measurable outcomes can accelerate progress.
“Policy must facilitate, not delay, implementation,” he stressed.
Third, Dr Lim said Sabah must build on its own strengths rather than blindly imitating others.
“Sabah’s energy opportunities, biodiversity, industrial potential and coastal assets require a Sabah-centric, resource-aware and forward-looking strategy,” he said.
He added that strengthening energy systems would boost investor confidence and improve project delivery efficiency.
Speaking during a plenary session at the World Green & Sustainability Summit (WGSS) 2026 held at Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort here, Dr Lim stressed that Sabah must move beyond slogans in its sustainability agenda and focus on effective implementation, particularly in the development of green energy.
He said sustainability is not merely an aspiration, but requires proper management, execution and the delivery of measurable outcomes.
“When discussing sustainability, we must move beyond slogans to execution.
“Sustainability isn’t just ambition; it is about effective implementation and delivering tangible results,” he said.
Dr Lim said that for Sabah, the approach is not theoretical, but driven by real development needs, including energy demand, resource strengths and the pressure to ensure responsible growth.
“Sabah possesses natural assets, strategic positioning and the opportunity to model sustainable growth, provided policy, investment and infrastructure are properly aligned,” he said.
At the same time, he stressed the importance of clarity in data and systems to drive green energy progress.
“What you cannot see, you cannot manage. We need clarity on our current state, system constraints, load growth and viable opportunities before crafting solutions,” he said.
He also cautioned that good intentions alone are insufficient without clear and sincere execution.
Dr Lim stressed that protecting natural capital must go hand in hand with value creation to ensure long-term prosperity.
“When done correctly, sustainability shifts from an abstract agenda to an operational growth model,” he said.
He also raised whether Sabah can translate sustainability into real projects such as the Sabah Blue Economy plan and ultimately into lasting benefits for its people.
“The real test is whether we can transform projects into outcomes, and outcomes into lasting benefits for the people of Sabah,” he said.
He said such an approach not only protects the environment, but also builds confidence, capability and resilience for future generations.
Dr Lim reiterated that Sabah needs clear priorities, disciplined implementation, credible partnerships and practical delivery.
“Sabah needs real action, not more promises.
“This will ensure that green energy supports not only sustainability, but also jobs, competitiveness, investment quality and long-term development for the state,” he said.
