Malaysia to import more coal from Indonesia

Malaysia plans to import more coal from Indonesia to meet soaring demand from the neighboring country's power plants, Neraca daily reported on Tuesday.

Muhammad Annas Bin Muhammad Nur, the head of the energy commission of Malaysia, said that Indonesia would be the most potential country to fulfill the country's coal demand, which is expected to double to 20 million tons per year in 2010 from about 10 million tons at present.

"Indonesia could be the most appropriate option to meet the growing demand," he said in a meeting on coal and electricity held in Jakarta on Monday.

According to him, the coal demand in Malaysia has increased sharply in recent years after the government decided to reduce the use of natural gas for the country's power plants. (*)