A Hub of Uncertainty: Indonesia's Oil Storage Plan Meets ASEAN's Trust Deficit The Indonesian Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia's proposal to establish an ASEAN oil storage hub in Sumatra has brought attention to a pressing issue for Southeast Asia's energy security.
The plan aims to pool emergency fuel reserves from member states Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines, motivated by the region's vulnerability to supply disruptions.
ASEAN's history of underutilized regional mechanisms poses significant hurdles to this initiative.