Why Malaysia’s green fuel ambitions face an uphill battle

THE appeal of homegrown biofuel alternatives is growing stronger as tensions in the Middle East continue to push up global oil prices.

For Malaysia, the solution seems obvious: use more palm oil to fuel vehicles and reduce dependence on imported petroleum. On April 14, the government moved in just that direction with Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir announcing that the national biodiesel mandate would rise from B10 to B15 with an interim B12 rollout within six weeks.