NEWS & UPDATE

KUCHING
27 AUGUST 2025

Sarawak Energy’s Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Datuk Haji Sharbini Suhaili, has been re-elected to the Board of the International Hydropower Association (IHA). Representing the East Asia and Pacific region, he joins 17 other hydropower leaders from six regions – Africa, North and Central America, South America, Europe, South and Central Asia; and East Asia and Pacific – who will serve on the Board for a two-year term commencing September 2025. The Board will provide strategic direction for IHA’s priorities in advancing the global clean energy transition.

Sharbini has been a member of the IHA Board since 2017, shortly after assuming the role of Group CEO of Sarawak Energy, Sarawak’s primary energy provider and Malaysia’s largest renewable energy developer. He was subsequently re-elected in 2019, 2021 and 2023, affirming his continued role in championing sustainable hydropower development in Malaysia and the wider Southeast Asian region.

Commenting on the announcement, Sharbini said: “This re-election is a recognition of Sarawak Energy’s consistent efforts and commitment to advancing sustainable hydropower as part of delivering affordable, reliable and renewable energy for Sarawak and the region, while contributing to the progression of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) towards a sustainable energy future.”

Under Datuk Haji Sharbini Suhaili’s leadership, Sarawak Energy has consistently advocated for large hydropower to be recognised as part of Malaysia’s renewable energy mix. This was achieved in 2021 when the Federal Government formally included large hydropower within the national renewable energy definition. Today, Sarawak Energy stands as Malaysia’s largest renewable energy developer.

“Since joining the International Hydropower Association in 2010, Sarawak Energy has actively promoted sustainable hydropower by highlighting its benefits through communication campaigns, as well as at regional and international conferences and forums. By sharing our hydropower journey, we hope to contribute to regional discussions on sustainable development and the energy transition, while also supporting IHA’s presence here.

This re-election reflects the contributions we have made and the privilege of continuing to represent Sarawak Energy in the international hydropower community. Although we are a comparatively smaller organisation based on the island of Borneo, our efforts continue to gain recognition among international hydropower players,” Sharbini said.

In line with IHA’s commitment to sustainable hydropower development, Sarawak Energy’s hydroelectric plants and projects are operated and developed in accordance with the Hydropower Sustainability Standard, a multistakeholder standard and a global benchmark for sustainable hydropower development, as well as the International Commission on Large Dams guidelines. The utility further aligns with the San Jose Declaration, which operates under the belief that the only acceptable hydropower development is sustainable hydropower.

Sharbini added, “It is an honour to continue serving on the IHA Board. Sarawak Energy looks forward to working closely with IHA and fellow members to advance the role of sustainable hydropower in achieving renewable energy goals and supporting global efforts to address climate change.”

IHA is the world’s most extensive and active hydropower network and was created under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1995 as the voice of sustainable hydropower. Members of the IHA are active in more than 100 countries and include organisations engaged as hydropower owners and operators, developers, designers, suppliers and consultants.

Sharbini was also one of the speakers at the high-level opening plenary of the 2023 World Hydropower Congress (WHC), alongside 20 other speakers from around the world. The WHC is a biennial forum organised by the IHA, bringing together industry, governments, international organisations, financial institutions and civil society representatives to set the course for sustainable hydropower development.