In a move to engage stakeholders, the Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad has met with several NGOs since he clocked into office last week.
The discussions were for the minister to gain insight from the environmental groups and hear their demands on what needs to be done for environmental protection.
"We listened to their concerns on safeguarding our children's future through a more progressive and forward-looking environmental policy. We look forward to a continuous engagement process," he said on Instagram.
On Dec 13, Nik Nazmi (above, left) met representatives from Shah Alam Community Forest Society, Tropical Rainforest Conservation & Research Centre, Friends of Bukit Kiara, Klima Action Malaysia (Kamy), Friends of Bukit Dinding and Gabungan Darurat Iklim Malaysia.
Kamy said in an online post that it formally delivered Gabungan Darurat Iklim Malaysia's Climate Emergency Declaration and the Malaysian Civil Society Demands for COP27 to the newly appointed minister.
Critical initiatives
The groups also raised critical initiatives for the ministry to focus on during the first 100 days of the new government.
This includes forming the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on climate change and biodiversity, institutionalising inclusive representation of local stakeholders in decision and policy-making, and drafting as well as debating the Climate Change Act in Parliament.
Kamy said that other main points of discussion included green budgeting and climate finance, safeguards on the voluntary carbon market, and environmental impact assessment amendments on procedural rights.
This included a call for Malaysia's obligation in multilateral environmental negotiations and leadership in global climate and environmental diplomacy.
On Dec 5, Nik Nazmi told the press that he would look into pressing public issues that previously came under the supervision of the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, as well as the Environment and Water Ministry.
Enhancing partnership
Other governmental bodies have similarly indicated their willingness to work with NGOs to address issues under their respective ministries.
This includes Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli who responded favourably today to a call from the Kitajaga group on Twitter to work together in addressing hardcore poverty.
Meanwhile, the Fisheries Department met with NGO Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) on Dec 13 in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony at Wisma Tani, Putrajaya.
Fisheries director-general Mohd Sufian Sulaiman and RCM general manager Julian Hyde signed the MOU seeking to carry out marine ecosystem conservation and other conservation programmes.
The MOU focuses on implementing coral reef health monitoring and studies in a range of subjects such as biodiversity conservation, climate change, and ecological and socioeconomic resilience.
It will also look at implementing educational and public awareness programmes with the local community, particularly in Taman Laut, to encourage stakeholders’ participation in the management, monitoring and care of the marine ecosystem.
"Hopefully, this collaboration will lead to more benefits for the parties involved and at the same time maintain the sustainability of our sea," the department tweeted. - Mkini
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