Kuala Lampur, July 1 -- JULY 2 - The ripples from the Hormuz Strait have reached our shores. With every tanker that slows or every threat to that narrow chokepoint, Malaysia is reminded of a bitter truth: we remain bystanders in our own energy security. For decades, we have watched from the sidelines as geopolitics dictates our petrol prices. Now, with the government's tentative interest in biofuels, recently announced by the Ministry of Economy, we have a chance to move from the stands onto the pitch. But let's be clear: producing a few more barrels of palm-based biodiesel is not a strategy. It is a consolation prize.

If Malaysia is serious about leveraging bioresources to escape the fossil trap, we need more than a committee. We need a...