Malaysia is believed to have strong potential to expand its renewable energy (RE) sector through geothermal energy development following the discovery of more than 100 hot spring locations nationwide, including in Sabah and Sarawak.
Mohd Hariri Arifin said findings from his research revealed that Malaysia possesses a wide distribution of natural hot spring areas, although their current use remains largely limited to tourism, recreational activities and light domestic purposes.
Speaking on Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara programme titled Bumi Makin Panas, Dunia Kian Gelisah, Hariri said many of the country’s hot spring sites remain underutilised and poorly managed despite their significant energy potential.
“It is unfortunate that many of these hot spring areas are left idle without large-scale management. Some are even polluted with waste such as eggshells and food containers, when these locations could be utilised more effectively,” he said.
According to him, geothermal heat beneath the earth’s surface could potentially be harnessed using earth science and geophysical expertise to power turbines capable of generating cleaner and more sustainable electricity.
Hariri, who is also the former president of the Geological Society of Malaysia, said several agencies including the Department of Minerals and Geoscience Malaysia, SEDA Malaysia and the Energy Commission are currently studying the development potential of the sector.
However, the lecturer from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said the main obstacle slowing the industry’s growth is not technology, but the absence of a dedicated national policy framework.
“We need a National Geothermal Policy to attract investments and guide proper, sustainable exploration methods. Neighbouring countries such as Indonesia and Thailand have long benefited from this energy source despite having natural resources similar to ours,” he said.
Hariri added that UKM is currently collaborating with several agencies on a Proof of Concept (POC) project in Ulu Slim, Perak, which has been identified as one of the most promising geothermal development sites in Peninsular Malaysia.
Meanwhile, senior lecturer Muhammad Taqiuddin Zakaria said Malaysia should also focus on other valuable earth resources, including Rare Earth Elements (REE).
“Besides REE, we also have hydrogen gas and biomass resources. In today’s economic landscape, all of these are extremely important,” he said.
Muhammad Taqiuddin explained that although REE deposits are widely distributed across Malaysia, more detailed mapping is still needed to determine the exact locations of the resources.
He noted that countries such as the United States and China are far ahead in REE-related technologies, while Malaysia remains in the early stages of research and development across both upstream and downstream sectors.
“Malaysia is still in the research phase, but we possess enormous resource potential. If properly utilised, REE could become a major economic driver, especially in battery manufacturing and electric vehicle (EV) technology,” he added.
