Transitioning to renewable energy will save Malaysia between $9 billion and $13 billion annually by 2050, the International Renewable Energy Agency has said. Bloomberg
Transitioning to renewable energy will save Malaysia between $9 billion and $13 billion annually by 2050, the International Renewable Energy Agency has said. Bloomberg
Transitioning to renewable energy will save Malaysia between $9 billion and $13 billion annually by 2050, the International Renewable Energy Agency has said. Bloomberg
Transitioning to renewable energy will save Malaysia between $9 billion and $13 billion annually by 2050, the International Renewable Energy Agency has said. Bloomberg

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Energy

Masdar signs agreement to advance development of 10GW of clean energy projects in Malaysia

Projects will include ground, rooftop and floating solar power plants

John Benny

December 01, 2023

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Abu Dhabi clean energy company Masdar has signed an implementation road map to advance the development of 10 gigawatts of renewable energy projects in Malaysia.

The projects will include ground-mounted, rooftop and floating solar power plants, onshore wind farms and battery energy storage systems, the company said on Friday.

“As we begin Cop28, Masdar is spearheading the UAE’s endeavours to help achieve a just and inclusive energy transition for countries around the world,” said Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Cop28 President.

“The signing represents an important progression in the partnership between the UAE and Malaysia in the development of renewable energy projects,” said Dr Al Jaber, who is also the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and chairman of Masdar.

The road map is part of an $8 billion renewable energy agreement signed by Masdar and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority(Mida) in October.

Masdar, which is active in more than 40 countries, aims to expand its capacity to at least 100 gigawatts of renewable energy by the end of the decade. It is also aiming for green hydrogen production of one million tonnes a year by 2030.

“Our strategic collaboration with Masdar marks a significant stride towards the realisation of Malaysia's sustainable energy ambitions,” said Wira Rahman, chief executive of Mida.

“This aligns with the Malaysian government's resolute commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and embracing the net zero 2050 vision."

The country aims for renewable energy to supply 31 per cent of its power requirements by 2025 and 40 per cent by 2035, increasing to 70 per cent by 2050.

Transitioning to renewable energy will save Malaysia between $9 billion and $13 billion annually by 2050 in avoided energy, climate and health costs, the International Renewable Energy Agency has said.

South-East Asia is a key investment market for Masdar. The company has developed the region’s largest floating solar facility in Indonesia - the 145 megawatt Cirata Floating solar plant, which is expected to generate enough electricity to power 50,000 homes.

This year, Masdar entered the geothermal energy sector through an investment in Indonesia’s Pertamina Geothermal Energy. Masdar is considering “transformative” acquisitions to expand its footprint in the US and Europe, according to chief operating officer Abdulaziz Alobaidli.

The company is actively screening the market for acquisitions, as well as greenfield and brownfield projects and opportunities to support small renewable energy developers, Mr Alobaidli told The National last month.

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg

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Day 1

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Pakistan (1st innings) 59-2 (23 overs)

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Updated: December 03, 2023, 4:07 AM
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