Youths haul govt to court for 'unkept' forest cover promise

 

Six Malaysian youths have filed a landmark judicial review application against the government, accusing the latter of failing to uphold its long-standing commitment to preserve the nation’s forest cover.

The group, collectively known as the Mana Hutan Kami initiative, is seeking urgent court intervention to halt the escalating deforestation plaguing the nation.

They argue that the government’s failure to maintain Malaysia’s forests will force them to bear the devastating consequences of deforestation for generations to come.

One of the applicants named in the suit, environmentalist Abe Lim, said that the civil action is the first of its kind locally and regionally.

“This is the first of its kind climate change litigation in Malaysia, directly challenging the government’s failure to safeguard forest cover agreements. It is also believed to be the first of its kind in Asean.

“It follows the latest trend in a global wave of EU-led climate lawsuits that have shaped environmental law; from the Netherlands to South Korea,” she said during a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall today.

Southeast Asia suffers from climate change most

Abe (above, centre) pointed out that such instances of climate action remain relatively rare in the Global South, despite the region being among the most vulnerable to climate change.

“Many of the developing countries always seem to think that climate is not the priority or a first-world problem, but that’s not true.

“Across science and data itself, it’s shown that Southeast Asia is actually suffering the most from all these emissions contributed by the Global North,” she added.

The civil action is brought by Malaysian youths aged between 18 and 30. It named the natural resources and environmental sustainability minister and the Malaysian government as respondents.

Applicants in the suit include:

• Abe, 30, a climate change advocate from Kuala Lumpur

• Sitti Fatimah, 25, an NGO worker from Sabah

• Winona Elisha Jemak, 23, a postgraduate student from Sarawak

• Lee Yu Dong, 20, a law student from Johor

• ADS

  Adom Teh, 20, an international relations student from Johor

• Amira Aliya, 18, a pre-university student from Johor

The lawsuit was filed on Feb 28 at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

According to the group, the basis of their case traces back to Malaysia’s commitment made at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992.

Then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad pledged that Malaysia would permanently keep at least 50 percent of its land under forest cover.

The pledge has also since been reiterated in national policies over the decades, including at the 80th National Land Council chaired by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Forest cover now below 50pct

However, the litigants argue that the government has not fulfilled the pledge, pointing out that recent findings indicate that millions of hectares of forest land in Malaysia have been earmarked for commercial use, including timber plantations.

Based on an expert report included in the filing, between 4.27 and 4.51 million hectares of forest could be converted to commercial use, potentially reducing forest cover to between 47.4 percent and 49.6 percent nationwide.

The forest loss is estimated to be equal to the size of Perak and Johor combined, or roughly the size of Switzerland.

They argue that such a decline would not only breach the government’s commitment but also accelerate environmental degradation, including biodiversity loss, rising temperatures, and increased flooding.

Floods in Sabah, crica February 2026

Represented by lawyers Lim Wei Jiet and Ambiga Sreenevasan, the applicants contend that the government’s failure violates their fundamental rights under the Federal Constitution, including Article 5(1) on the right to life and Article 8(1) on equality.

Wei Jiet (above, first from left) explained that while the Malaysian courts have heard cases concerning the right to life, this is the first time it is interpreted in terms of deforestation and climate change.

The High Court in Kuala Lumpur will hear the group’s leave application on May 14 and decide whether the case should be heard on its merits.

“If we pass that stage, then we move on to the substantive hearing. So this is only the beginning,” Wei Jiet added.

The group is seeking a court declaration that their constitutional rights have been breached, as well as a mandamus order compelling the government to take all necessary measures to ensure forest cover remains at or above 50 percent.

This includes regular progress updates every 90 days. - Mkini