A broad regional resource base
Used cooking oil, palm oil processing residues, rice residues, municipal solid waste and wood residues are all identified as potential SAF feedstocks for Malaysia.
Source: Malaysia working paper, ICAO A42SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL · MALAYSIA & ASEAN
Fuelling the future of flight.
Malaysia’s SAF
opportunity.
Sustainable aviation fuel is becoming a new global industry. With waste and residue feedstocks, a biorefinery already producing SAF in Johor with a second under construction, and a place at the heart of ASEAN, Malaysia is positioned to produce SAF for its own airlines and for markets that now require it.
Founding Knowledge Partner
A NEW INDUSTRY TAKING OFF
Feedstock to flight,
made in Malaysia.
Photography: Natali Quijano / Unsplash (opens in a new tab)Feedstock to flight,
made in Malaysia.
THE HEADLINESA new industry, already under way.
Up to 47%SAF blending by 2050 in Malaysia’s National Energy Transition Roadmap
1% from 2027SAF blend proposed for international flights departing KLIA
420,000 t/yrJohor biorefinery producing SAF and renewable fuels since Oct 2025
~45.7 Mt/yrSAF that Southeast Asia’s feedstocks could supply by 2050
01 / THE OPPORTUNITY
Why SAF matters
for Malaysia and the region.
Aviation needs low-carbon fuel at scale, and the rules that require it are now in force across key markets. Southeast Asia has the feedstocks, refining know-how and location to supply it.
Made in Johor, shipped to the world
Malaysia’s first commercial SAF plant began operating in Tanjung Langsat in October 2025 and exported its first SAF cargo to Europe in December. A second biorefinery at Pengerang is targeted for 2028.
Sources: EcoCeres PETRONASOver US$2 billion across two Johor projects
The Johor plant represents an investment of more than US$800 million and over 300 jobs, according to the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities. The Pengerang project is valued at about US$1.3 billion by its partners.
Sources: NST Euglena (JPX filing)The largest lever to 2050
Malaysia’s Aviation Decarbonisation Blueprint expects SAF to deliver 46.2% of the sector’s path to net zero by 2050, more than any other measure. KLIA received its first locally blended SAF in September 2025.
Sources: CAAM State Action Plan PETRONASA regional supply base
Southeast Asia’s bio-based feedstocks could produce around 45.7 million tonnes of SAF a year by 2050, about 12% of the global SAF needed. Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines hold about 90% of that potential.
Source: RSB with BoeingMandates are creating markets
The EU requires 6% SAF from 2030 and 70% by 2050. The UK requires 10% by 2030. Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia are adding regional demand through levies and targets, and CORSIA recognises eligible fuels.
Sources: European Commission GOV.UKGO DEEPER
Policies, production pathways, projects and certification across Malaysia and Southeast Asia, with sources, in the SAF Malaysia Knowledge Centre. Figures cited are from the linked public sources and do not imply endorsement of this initiative.
02 / OUR PURPOSE
A complex topic.
A shared understanding.
SAF Malaysia is a national platform and working group with a simple purpose: make sustainable aviation fuel easier to understand, discuss and put into practice in Malaysia.
We bring together perspectives from government, aviation, energy, finance and research. From first-time learners to decision-makers, everyone should have access to clear explanations, credible evidence and the questions that still need answers.
Our aim is to build the shared understanding that helps Malaysia and ASEAN develop informed policy and practical pathways for responsible SAF adoption.
Independent questions. An informed path forward.
We support responsible SAF adoption while examining costs, benefits and trade-offs. Our role is to inform debate, with no allegiance to a single company, feedstock or technology.
Our editorial commitments03 / FOUNDING KNOWLEDGE PARTNER
NAICO, our Founding
Knowledge Partner.
SAF Malaysia is proud to acknowledge NAICO, the National Aerospace Industry Corporation Malaysia, as its Founding Knowledge Partner.
Together, we are convening a national working group and a year-long public conversation on sustainable aviation fuel — connecting the people who shape policy, industry and investment with the wider public that aviation serves.
Visit naicomalaysia.my (opens in a new tab)04 / THE SAF MALAYSIA PODCAST
52 conversations.
A national perspective all year.
Throughout 2027, we’ll sit down with the people shaping Malaysia’s SAF journey — from feedstock to flight, and from policy to investment. Ministers, government agencies and industry experts are being invited to take part.
PREMIERES JANUARY 2027The next
SAF MALAYSIA / ORIGINAL SERIES
The next
flight path.
52 EPISODESFROM JANUARY 2027
A PREVIEW OF THE CONVERSATIONS
Explore the proposed themes. Guests and release dates will be announced ahead of the January 2027 launch.
THE FORMAT
Long-form video and audio conversations in English and Malay, with one guest or a small panel.
THE PRODUCTION
Produced by a professional production team, with experienced national TV hosts.
THE PLATFORMS
Published on safmalaysia.com and on video and audio platforms, with clips for social channels.
THE RELEASE
The first episodes premiere in January 2027.
05 / SAF, EXPLAINED
Start with the essentials.
Clear answers first. Deeper questions next.
Build your understanding, one topic at a time.
What is sustainable
aviation fuel?
SAF is aviation fuel made from renewable or waste-derived sources that meets sustainability criteria. Its environmental value depends on how it is made and sourced.
Explore the basics
“Sustainable” is a standard to demonstrate, not simply a label. The feedstock, production process and supply chain all matter.
Read ICAO’s SAF overview (opens in a new tab)Lower emissions.
Measured how?
SAF still produces emissions when burned. Its potential benefit is assessed across its lifecycle, from sourcing and production to transport and use.
Understand the evidence
Emissions savings vary by pathway. A credible comparison looks at the whole lifecycle and the assumptions behind the calculation.
Explore ICAO’s lifecycle methodology (opens in a new tab)What matters for
Malaysia and ASEAN?
Our coverage will examine local supply chains, credible sustainability standards, affordability and the policy choices that can support adoption.
See the questions we’ll ask
How can demand grow responsibly? Which resources can be sourced sustainably? How can regional cooperation help? And how should costs and benefits be shared?
Read ICAO’s sustainability criteria (opens in a new tab)FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
Go further in our Knowledge Centre. Our starting point: ICAO’s SAF guidance (opens in a new tab) and ATAG’s aviation resources (opens in a new tab). External references inform the discussion; they do not imply endorsement of this initiative.
06 / BEYOND THE FULL EPISODE
Keep the conversation
in your everyday feed.
A new idea each day. A moment worth sharing. We’ll turn complex topics into accessible explainers and bring you the key clips from every conversation.
01
Watch and listenFull episodes on safmalaysia.com and on video and audio platforms.
02
The moments that matterShort clips and explainers on Instagram and LinkedIn, with links back to the full conversation.
03
Shared across the ecosystemEpisodes shared by our hosts, our guests and NAICO’s channels.
Channel links will be announced before launch.
07 / BRING YOUR PERSPECTIVE
Whose voice should
we hear next?
Meaningful conversations start with people who have something to share. Recommend a speaker or put yourself forward for the 2027 series.
Know someone we
should interview?
Help us find the policymakers, researchers, practitioners and community voices asking important questions about SAF. A useful perspective matters more than a prominent title.
Tell us who they are, the question they could help answer and why their experience matters to the region.
Nominate a speakerYour experience could
move the conversation forward.
Working on a solution, researching a challenge or seeing the transition from a different angle? Share the evidence, lessons and questions you would bring to a conversation.
Include your area of expertise and availability for an in-person recording.
Volunteer as a guestBoth options open a pre-filled email for you to review and send. Suggestions are considered for relevance, evidence and diversity of perspectives, and selection is editorial. Please obtain permission before sharing someone else’s private contact details.
08 / CONNECT THE REGION
Bring the SAF conversation
to your event.
Planning a conference, industry forum or roundtable? Let’s explore how its insights can reach people across Malaysia and ASEAN — during the event and beyond.
What would you like your audience to understand?
Share your event, location, dates and the role you have in mind. We’ll discuss editorial fit, format and availability.
Opens a pre-filled email. Participation and coverage are subject to agreement, availability and recording permissions.
09 / THE PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE PLATFORM
Trust is part
of the work.
A national platform means bringing every relevant voice to the table. Credibility means asking independent questions and being clear about who supports the conversation.
Evidence before claims
Reference primary sources, distinguish facts from views, and make uncertainty and trade-offs visible.
More than one perspective
Seek voices across the SAF ecosystem. Explain differing positions without treating every claim as equally supported.
Transparent support
Identify sponsors clearly. Keep sponsorship separate from guest views, questions and editorial conclusions.
Accountable publishing
Date published content, link to supporting evidence and make substantive corrections visible to readers.
Our editorial commitments guide the 2027 programme.
AN OPEN CONVERSATION. A SHARED FUTURE.