By Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, Chairman Alliance for a Safe Community
KOTA KINABALU: The Alliance for a Safe Community welcomes the government’s move to introduce a long-awaited Climate Change Bill, which will compel industries to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in accordance with Malaysia’s commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement.
This landmark legislation must serve not only as a tool for emission control but also as a blueprint for long-term environmental sustainability and resilience, especially as Malaysia begins to feel the real impacts of climate change — extreme weather, biodiversity loss, and threats to food and water security.
While reducing industrial emissions through cleaner energy, energy efficiency, and carbon pricing mechanisms is vital, climate action must also integrate nature-based solutions (NbS) to achieve meaningful, inclusive, and cost-effective outcomes.
Forests, peatlands, mangroves, and wetlands are Malaysia’s natural assets and play a critical role in absorbing carbon, protecting communities from floods, and conserving biodiversity.
As such, the Bill should explicitly incorporate the following elements:
Protection and Expansion of Carbon Sinks
• Legal protection for remaining tropical rainforests, peat swamps, and coastal ecosystems.
• Large-scale reforestation and afforestation programmes in degraded areas.
• Incentives for community-based forest management and indigenous stewardship.
Restoration of Critical Ecosystems
• Funding and legal framework for mangrove restoration, river rehabilitation, and coral reef conservation.
• Collaboration with NGOs, local councils, and universities in monitoring and maintaining ecological health.
Sustainable Land Use and Agriculture
• Guidelines to reduce deforestation driven by agriculture and development.
• Promotion of climate-smart and regenerative farming practices.
• Establishment of a domestic carbon offset market tied to certified NbS projects.
The Bill must also impose mandatory emissions reporting, sectoral targets, and compliance mechanisms for high-emitting industries such as energy, transport, and manufacturing.
To support this, the creation of a Green Transition Fund should be considered to help industries — especially SMEs — shift towards greener technologies and processes.
A Malaysian Solution to a Global Crisis
Malaysia is uniquely placed with rich biodiversity and natural ecosystems that can be part of the solution. A climate law that marries technology and nature is not only more effective but also more equitable. It recognises that the battle against climate change is not solely an industrial challenge — it is also a societal and ecological responsibility.
The Alliance urges the government to ensure the Climate Change Bill is inclusive, enforceable, and forward-looking — one that puts nature, people, and planet at the heart of its design.
Let this Bill mark a turning point in our nation’s journey toward environmental justice, economic resilience, and climate leadership.
