A healthy environment is fundamental to the wellbeing of a country and her people, and environmental justice is key to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Corruption and poor governance are major threats to the environment as they enable environmental crime through corruption risks present in licensing systems, monitoring and enforcement, and import/export border controls, among others.
Illegal activities that harm the environment include pollution crimes, unlicenced logging and mining, wildlife trafficking, illegal unreported and unregulated fishing, and uncontrolled production and trade in ozone-depleting substances.
The Environmental Quality Act 1974 is the primary federal law to control pollution and protect the environment, but the complex landscape of environmental legislation in Malaysia also includes the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007, International Trade of Endangered Species Act 2008, Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, National Forestry Act 1984, National Parks Act 1980, Fisheries Act 1985, Water Services Industry Act, as well as various state and local government laws including the Environment Protection Enactment 2002 and Forest Enactment 1968 in Sabah, and the Forests Ordinance 2015 and National Resources and Environment (Amendment) Ordinance 2001 in Sarawak.
Time is ripe for Malaysia to reform environmental laws, which should incorporate climate change mitigation and adaptation, emerging toxics and pollutants, more stringent standards, higher penalties, and clearer definitions and jurisdictions. The laws should also integrate general principles of international environmental law such as the “prevention principle” and the “precautionary principle”, and switch focus from pollution control towards ecological conservation and sustainable development.
Importantly, good environmental governance relies on participatory decision-making processes, effective and accountable institutions, transparent policies and data-sharing, strong whistleblower protection, and well-enforced laws and standards. Fighting climate change demands a fight against corruption.
June 6, 2022 Legislation will be discussed by cabinet on Wednesday, says prime minister THE government plans to enact climate change legislation soon to achieve the target of becoming a carbon-neutral nation by 2050. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said Malaysia would also work with countries that had similar visions. “This is in […]
June 5, 2022 Climate change-related legislation will be enacted soon, as Malaysia reiterated its commitment to achieve its target of becoming a carbon neutral nation by 2050. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said Malaysia would also work with countries with similar visions through the Asia Zero Emission Community. He said this is in […]
May 31, 2022 Malaysia needs to establish an independent commission on climate change to monitor and report on annual carbon dioxide emission reduction milestones, either to the public or parliament so as to keep track of the nation’s progress in becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Past president of the Federation of Private Medical Associations, Dr […]
May 29, 2022 The Ministry of Environment and Water (Kasa) is expected to table amendments to the Environmental Quality Act 1974 at the next Parliament sitting in an effort to empower environmental enforcement. Its Deputy Minister, Datuk Mansor Othman said a draft of the amendments is now at the Attorney-General’s Chambers before it is tabled […]
May 23, 2022 A social accountability scheme will advance the sustainability efforts of companies and will be in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals 2030. SIRIM, an agency under the purview of Malaysia’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry, has launched a Social Accountability Scheme called SIRIM 50 to help Malaysian-based companies with workplace […]
MY BFFP-Stop Waste Trade Coalition May 22, 2022 Selangor’s Tourism and Environment Exco Hee Loy Sian announced on May 19 five new policies with regard to the operation of plastic waste recycling factories in the state, including not allowing the import of plastic waste for the purpose of recovery or final disposal by factories that […]
May 20, 2022 The Selangor government has set five policies with regard to the operation of factories and premises processing recycled plastic waste in the State to prevent pollution. State Tourism, Environment, Green Technology and Orang Asli Affairs Committee chairman Hee Loy Sian said the agreement and approval of the policy was made through the […]
April 20, 2022 An environmental coalition is demanding for the government declare a climate change emergency by Malaysia Day. The coalition, Gabungan Darurat Iklim Malaysia, would send a memorandum on the matter alongside pledges to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, next week. Among the coalition’s 12 point demands were for Putrajaya to declare […]
December 11, 2021 The federal government has agreed to compensate states that maintain their forest reserves as water catchment areas and protect them against illegal logging activities, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. However, he said, the formula to determine the quantum for the compensation payment would be studied by the relevant ministry. […]
December 3, 2021 The government has agreed to impose a 15-year moratorium on approvals for new forest plantations in permanent forest reserves in the peninsula. Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this was decided at the 79th National Land Council meeting held virtually yesterday, attended by federal ministers, chief ministers and menteris besar. In a […]
