HAVING played a pivotal role in shaping Penang’s economic transformation for more than five decades, the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) is now placing greater emphasis on sustainability as it seeks to balance growth with environmental responsibility and social well-being.
In line with this commitment, PDC today hosted its inaugural Sustainability Conference 2026, bringing together 150 participants from government, industry and academia to exchange ideas, strengthen partnerships and explore practical solutions to advance Penang’s sustainability agenda.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who is also PDC chairman, officially launched the conference at St Giles Wembley Hotel in George Town.
In his speech, Chow said Penang had achieved significant economic progress over the years through industrialisation, innovation and investments, with the state’s GDP per capita in 2024 exceeding the national average by more than 34 per cent and its labour force participation rate reaching 72 per cent.
However, he stressed that sustainability requires looking beyond economic indicators alone, noting that Penang ranked 11th nationally with a score of 67.84 out of 100 in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for Malaysian States 2025 report.
“The challenge before us is no longer how to achieve growth. The challenge is how to ensure that growth remains sustainable, inclusive and resilient for future generations,” he said.
Chow also reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to Penang 2030, a vision of a family-focused, smart and green state that inspires the nation.
He highlighted the Penang Energy Framework 2024, which sets targets for 25 per cent energy efficiency and 10 per cent renewable energy adoption by 2030, noting that initiatives such as net energy metering and feed-in tariff programmes have already driven significant progress.
“Sustainability is a shared responsibility. Governments can provide direction, but meaningful progress requires collaboration between businesses, investors, developers, educational institutions, and communities,” Chow said.
Meanwhile, PDC chief executive Abdul Latiff Abdul Aziz said sustainability has become an increasingly important consideration for organisations across all sectors, as businesses and development agencies are expected to balance economic growth with environmental and social responsibilities.
“As Penang’s principal development agency, PDC remains committed to supporting the state’s development while incorporating sustainable practices into our planning and operations,” he said in his welcoming address.
He added that the commitment is guided by PDC’s SDG-ESG Sustainability Initiative Plan 2024-2028, which serves as a roadmap for embedding sustainability across its operations, developments and subsidiaries.
“I am pleased to share that in 2025, PDC achieved a completion rate of 83.7% for our planned sustainability initiatives, with the remainder currently in progress. These achievements reflect our commitment to translating sustainability goals into meaningful outcomes,” he said.
Among its key initiatives, Abdul Latiff said PDC has continued to advance sustainable industrial development through Batu Kawan Industrial Park 3 (BKIP3), where infrastructure is being incorporated to support low-carbon industrial operations.
“Within our own operations, solar energy generated at PDC headquarters exceeded 414,000 kilowatt-hours in 2025, contributing to a renewable energy achievement rate of 23 per cent, surpassing both national and state benchmarks,” he said.
PDC has also undertaken environmental stewardship initiatives, including planting 1,000 mangrove trees to support ecosystem resilience and long-term carbon-reduction objectives.
Abdul Latiff also expressed appreciation to the speakers, moderators, panellists, partners and participants for their support in making the inaugural conference possible.
“Today’s conference provides an opportunity to exchange ideas, share experiences and learn from experts on key sustainability-related topics.
“We hope the discussions throughout the day will contribute to a better understanding of current challenges, emerging opportunities and practical approaches to sustainability,” he said.
Also present at the conference opening ceremony were state Rural, Agrotechnology & Food Security and Entrepreneurship Development Committee chairman Datuk Rashidi Zinol, state Trade and National Unity Committee chairman Goh Choon Aik, State Legal adviser Datuk Wan Noor Sakina Saad, PDC (Management) deputy chief executive officer Roslan Hassan and PDC (Finance) deputy chief executive officer Suzana Hassan.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Siti Noor Nabilah Noorazis
Video by Law Suun Ting