Mukmin Malaysia says the community is strongest when it works together.
Mukmin Malaysia president Shahul Dawood says no single organisation can address every challenge faced by the Indian Muslim community.
PETALING JAYA: Mukmin Malaysia, an umbrella body for the Indian Muslim community, has called for a more coordinated and collaborative approach towards nation-building and advancement.
Its president, Shahul Dawood, said it was time the community moved beyond “fragmented efforts”, noting that they were strongest when they worked together.
“No single organisation can address every challenge facing our community.
“But, together, we can create opportunities, mobilise resources and build a stronger future for all,” he said at Mukmin’s inaugural executive committee meeting yesterday.
Shahul said Mukmin, which will be officially launched in August, will serve as a national platform that unites organisations, institutions, professionals and community leaders to advance community development through collective action, strategic partnerships, and sustainable impact initiatives.
And for a start, he announced that Mukmin has secured more than RM7 million in scholarship commitments through strategic collaborations with six education institutions.
The six are UNITAR International University, University of Cyberjaya, MAHSA University, BAC Education Group, Binary College, and SG Academy.
He said more than 350 scholarship opportunities are being made available through higher education and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) pathways.
Mukmin also announced the “Adopt A Graduate Programme”, an initiative that mobilises organisations, businesses, professionals and industry leaders to adopt and support students and graduates through tuition fee sponsorships, employment opportunities, mentorship and industry exposure .
Shahul said the programme aims to remove financial barriers to education, facilitate smoother transitions into the workforce, and create a sustainable ecosystem of support for future talent.
He said Mukmin’s long-term aspiration is to become the trusted platform for collaboration among community organisations, institutions and professionals, while serving as a constructive voice on issues affecting the Indian Muslim community.
“The future of our community depends on our willingness to work together,” he said. - FMT
THREE letters — ESG — have reshaped global finance, supply chains and corporate strategy at remarkable speed.
Once considered a niche concern, environmental, social and governance factors now influence investment decisions, business operations and regulatory compliance across the world.
Why has ESG gained such momentum? More importantly, is it genuinely advancing the sustainability agenda? The rapid rise of ESG is not driven solely by altruism. Three powerful forces are behind its growth.
First, there is a strong business case. Major asset managers such as BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street collectively manage trillions of dollars guided by ESG considerations.
Companies with strong ESG performance often enjoy lower financing costs, fewer regulatory surprises and greater long-term resilience. In an increasingly uncertain world, sustainability has become closely linked to risk management.
Second, the competition for talent is intensifying. Younger generations increasingly want to work for organisations that demonstrate a genuine commitment to environmental responsibility, ethical governance and social impact. Companies that fail to meet these expectations risk losing skilled employees to competitors that do.
Third, regulation is advancing rapidly. New sustainability reporting requirements, climate-related disclosures and due diligence obligations are emerging across major economies. ESG is no longer a voluntary public relations exercise. It is becoming part of the licence to operate.
(Image: Shutterstock)
Self-interest undoubtedly plays a role in the ESG boom. Yet self-interest, when aligned with broader societal goals, can become a powerful force for change.
This is where ESG’s real value lies.
For decades, sustainability discussions were largely confined to academic research, international conferences and policy circles. Ambitious goals such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals inspired important conversations, but often felt disconnected from boardrooms and quarterly earnings reports.
ESG has helped bridge that gap by translating sustainability into the language of business: risk, resilience, reputation and long-term value creation.
That translation matters because it unlocks capital. Governments alone cannot finance the transition to a more sustainable economy.
When investors demand greater transparency on carbon emissions, water use, labour practices or corporate governance, companies are incentivised to change behaviour in ways that can have tangible real-world impacts.
However, ESG should not be mistaken for the destination. It is a tool, not the solution itself.
Too many organisations treat ESG as a checklist rather than a commitment. A glossy sustainability report, a climate pledge or a token governance reform may improve optics, but they do not necessarily create meaningful change. This is ESG theatre rather than genuine sustainability.
At its best, ESG serves three important functions.
First, it highlights risks that traditional financial reporting often overlooks. A company may appear profitable today, but poor environmental practices, weak governance or social controversies can create significant future liabilities. ESG encourages businesses and investors to consider these risks before they become crises.
Second, ESG helps direct capital towards more sustainable business models. As investors increasingly favour companies with stronger ESG performance, businesses are encouraged to adopt practices that are cleaner, more transparent and more resilient.
Third, ESG creates accountability. Once organisations begin measuring and disclosing information such as carbon emissions, workplace diversity or governance practices, stakeholders gain the ability to track progress and challenge poor performance.
Transparency does not guarantee improvement, but it makes it harder to ignore shortcomings.
Nevertheless, ESG faces a critical challenge. If it becomes little more than a branding exercise, it risks undermining the very goals it seeks to achieve. The appearance of progress can be just as dangerous as inaction if it distracts attention from deeper problems.
Several improvements are therefore necessary.
The development of globally comparable reporting standards is essential. Efforts by organisations such as the International Sustainability Standards Board to create consistent disclosure frameworks are important steps in the right direction. Without common standards, ESG assessments risk becoming subjective and inconsistent.
There must also be consequences for misrepresentation. Companies that deliberately mislead investors or stakeholders about their ESG performance should face penalties comparable to those imposed for financial misreporting.
Finally, organisations must focus on issues that are genuinely material to their operations. Not every ESG issue carries the same significance for every industry.
Businesses should concentrate on the environmental, social and governance risks that have the greatest impact on their operations and stakeholders, rather than pursuing superficial initiatives designed primarily for publicity.
Ultimately, ESG is not about making companies appear sustainable. It is about helping them become sustainable.
It offers a framework for navigating a world increasingly shaped by climate risks, social expectations and regulatory change. While ESG alone will not solve every sustainability challenge, it can help align business incentives with long-term societal interests.
The journey towards a more sustainable economy remains long and complex. ESG is not the destination, but it may prove to be one of the most important bridges helping us get there.
The author is affiliated with the Tan Sri Omar Centre for STI Policy Studies at UCSI University and is an Adjunct Professor at the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies, Universiti Malaya.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.
SUSTAINABLE Development Network Malaysia (SUSDEN Malaysia) has called for a broader national response to the El Niño phenomenon, warning that preparations must extend beyond emergency measures and address the environmental factors that increase disaster risks.
While it welcomed the government’s move to place the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) in charge of coordinating preparedness efforts for El Niño, which is expected to persist until 2027, it said effective preparedness requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach involving ministries, local authorities, government-linked companies, businesses, educational institutions and the public.
“Disaster preparedness should not be limited to emergency response. It must also include preventive measures that address environmental degradation and strengthen national resilience,” the organisation stressed.
According to SUSDEN, prolonged El Niño conditions could increase the risks of extreme heat, drought, water shortages, air pollution, biodiversity loss and threats to food security.
The organisation said activities such as open burning, poor waste management, river pollution, inadequate drainage maintenance and the removal of mature shade trees contribute to environmental degradation and increase vulnerability to climate-related impacts.
It noted that despite long-standing restrictions, open burning continues to occur in various sectors, including agricultural activities and landscape maintenance.
“Such practices contribute to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions while undermining efforts to build climate resilience,” it added.
SUSDEN further called for stronger measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, minimise waste generation and conserve forests, trees and natural ecosystems that serve as carbon sinks and help regulate local temperatures.
The organisation urged the government to continue investing in reliable and efficient public transport as part of Malaysia’s broader climate action strategy, while local authorities should improve parking management and enforcement to reduce dependence on private vehicles.
On environmental conservation, SUSDEN said mature shade trees should only be removed when there are compelling safety concerns and should otherwise be maintained by qualified arboriculture specialists.
The organisation also called for greater transparency in investigations involving environmental incidents, including the recent fish mortality incident at Danau Kota Lake.
It said agencies should conduct comprehensive and science-based investigations rather than attributing such incidents solely to heavy rainfall without identifying underlying causes.
“Transparency is essential to ensure accountability and allow corrective measures to be implemented effectively,” it continued.
SUSDEN further highlighted concerns raised by fish farmers along the Pahang River, who have reported significantly higher fish mortality rates in recent years, which they attributed to deteriorating water quality and pollution.
The organisation warned that environmental degradation and biodiversity loss could have wider implications for fisheries, agriculture and national food security.
It therefore called for greater awareness among policymakers, local authorities, community leaders and government agencies regarding the links between climate change, pollution, biodiversity conservation and food security.
“National preparedness for El Niño is not the responsibility of NADMA alone. It requires the active participation of all levels of government and society to reduce disaster risks, protect the environment and strengthen national resilience,” it noted. ‒ Focus Malaysia
MALAYSIA’S monthly fuel subsidy bill has surpassed RM7 billion, driven by supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz and the government’s effort to cap retail fuel prices as the B15 biodiesel mandate comes into force.
For manufacturers and industrial users still running on fossil fuels for heat and steam, those numbers signal something more than a passing crisis.
In fact, the pressure is building on the Malaysian manufacturing industry is structural rather than cyclical, according to Adli Amirullah who is chief economist at Wawasanex, an economic research and advisory firm.
“This structural problem is far from a temporary one. As Malaysia uses fossil fuels for more than 91% of its energy needs, the exposure to global price swings is broad and deep,” he cautioned.
Wawasanex chief economist Adli Amirullah
“For energy-intensive industries like food processing, ceramics, rubber and textiles, energy sits right at the heart of the business model. Manufacturers who have no alternative energy strategy are essentially absorbing that global risk with no buffer.”
‘Massive palm bioenergy potential’
That exposure, argued Adli, will only intensify. As it is, Malaysia’s domestic energy consumption will continue to grow, driven by industrial expansion, urbanisation and population growth against a resource base that is fixed and finite.
Budget 2026 compounds that pressure further. A carbon tax came into effect this year, initially targeting high-emission sectors, a measure that directly raises the financial cost of fossil fuel dependence for energy-intensive manufacturers.
The scale of the untapped domestic alternative is striking. A 2023 research paper found that Malaysia’s annual palm bioenergy potential could theoretically fulfil up to 64% of the country’s primary energy supply.
“That is not a marginal figure,” insisted Adli says. “It tells you how significant our domestic energy potential actually is, and how much of it remains untapped.”
Adli is deliberate about framing the biomass opportunity in economic rather than environmental terms and more specifically as an energy security question.
“Before we even get to the question of attractiveness, I think the more urgent conversation is energy security,” he contended.
“Can Malaysia produce enough of its own energy to keep its economy running if external supply chains get severely disrupted? That’s the question we should be stress-testing now. Because the geopolitical environment we are operating in is genuinely unpredictable.”
National competitiveness at stake
For industrial applications specifically, biomass steam addresses a practical need that other clean energy alternatives do not fully cover.
Unlike solar or hydrogen, biomass can deliver consistent heat and steam, the energy form that food processing, rubber, ceramics, paper manufacturing and palm oil processing all depend on.
As manufacturers increasingly pursue lower-carbon operations, the segment is positioned to benefit directly as industrial adoption accelerates.
The conversion is already underway at scale. Last year, Japanese petrochemical manufacturer Kaneka Malaysia committed to a RM31 mil biomass steam plant in Gebeng, Pahang under a 20-year Steam Supply and Purchase Agreement to replace natural gas with biomass-generated steam (operations targeted for this year).
The competitive stakes extend beyond energy cost alone. Under the New Industrial Master Plan 2030, Malaysia is targeting high-value foreign direct investment (FDIs) in sectors such as semiconductors and advanced materials.
In this regard, industrial energy stability is no longer just an operational concern but a national competitiveness requirement, according to Adli.
“These investors don’t make location decisions lightly,” he stressed. “Energy cost and reliability sit right at the centre of their decision making. Energy diversification is not just a sustainability checkbox. It’s a fundamental competitiveness requirement.”
Barrier to entry
Despite the scale of the opportunity, Adli identifies two persistent barriers to wider biomass adoption at the industrial level.
As most manufacturing facilities were built around conventional fossil fuel systems, the transition to biomass requires equipment modifications, operational testing and additional capital outlay.
Industrial players are also held back by a lack of long-term data on how sustained biomass use affects machinery performance over time.
The result is a stand-off that neither side can break alone.
“Biomass producers are waiting for demand signals before they scale up and invest further in R&D,” asserted Adli. “Both sides are waiting for the other to move first, and nothing will happen.”
His proposed solution is a tri-funding model with shared incentives across three parties.
What I would really like to see is a tri-funding approach where the government, industrial users and biomass producers come to the table together with shared commitment and shared skin in the game,” he envisages.
“The government provides the policy framework and co-funding to de-risk early adoption while industrial users commit to piloting biomass as part of their energy mix and provide real operational data.
On their part, biomass producers are expected to use that stability to accelerate innovation and R&D (research & development).
Together, that structure creates the conditions for biomass to mature quickly into a credible, bankable and practical solution.
Looking ahead, Adli expects the economics to shift regardless.
“The economics of locally sourced alternatives like biomass will improve not because biomass suddenly becomes cheaper in isolation but because the relative cost of staying dependent on fossil fuels keeps going up,” he added. – Focus Malaysia
