Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia delivered the proposal during the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Leaders' Summit in the Philippines, where he accompanied President Prabowo Subianto, according to an official statement confirmed by ANTARA in Jakarta.
The BIMP-EAGA initiative, established in 1994, aims to accelerate economic development in remote, border, and underdeveloped areas of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Bahlil said regional energy cooperation must deliver tangible benefits to communities in disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost regions, known in Indonesia as 3T areas.
He said subregional cooperation should go beyond physical connectivity by ensuring reliable, affordable, and equitable electricity access for people living in isolated and underserved locations.
Indonesia views the forum as a strategic platform to strengthen regional electricity integration through cross-border interconnection projects, rural electrification programs, and renewable energy development, Bahlil said.
He added that improving electricity access in border regions and remote islands could help stimulate local economies and improve living standards.
"This synergy will strengthen collaboration so people in remote areas can access affordable energy for better welfare," Bahlil said.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources said stronger cooperation among the four countries could reinforce regional energy infrastructure, improve supply chain resilience, and support Southeast Asia’s ambition to become a sustainable growth hub.
President Prabowo told the summit that BIMP-EAGA must continue evolving to address rapidly changing global dynamics and deliver more concrete benefits for people across the region.
"With that spirit, BIMP-EAGA must continue to develop. BIMP-EAGA must become more adaptive, more impactful, and more responsive to the needs of our people," Prabowo said.
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Translator: Putu Indah Savitri, Martha Herlinawati Simanjuntak
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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