There seems to be a lack of parties championing environmental issues in Malaysia, but many may not know that the Green Party of Malaysia has already submitted its application to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) in 2022.
According to the party’s pro-tem secretary-general Abdul Razak Ismail, its correspondence with the ROS has not been encouraging and the party may eventually have to pursue legal action in its bid to be registered.
A long-time Otai Reformasi leader, he said that the idea for a Green party took root with the disappointment over some of the Selangor government’s perceived failures to defend the environment.
“The state administration tried to bulldoze the degazettement of the Kuala Langat Utara Forest Reserve by giving huge swathes of land to an unproven company to develop the protected forest.
“However, due to heavy pressure from NGOs, the Orang Asli community, and the public, finally the state government was forced to bow to the pressure and the degazettement failed.
“So, politically, we feel there must be an ombudsman to monitor the state’s commitment to maintaining forest reserves,” Razak (above) told Malaysiakini.
In September 2021, the Selangor government cancelled plans to develop the Kuala Langat (North) forest reserve after Malaysiakini broke the news of the planned degazettement in February 2020.
“It was a good example of how the state government can manipulate the forest reserves,” he said, adding that Green Party activists had been vocal on environmental issues involving the Bukit Cherakah and Bukit Lagong forest reserves, as well as ERL lines cutting through state parks and the propagation of mining projects.
Forcing registration
Razak showed Malaysiakini that the Green Party application was submitted to the ROS on Dec 5, 2022, but that in a series of exchanged letters since then, the indication was that the decision was still pending.
“We made the application in 2022 and sent them a proposed logo as well. The last reply from them was on Feb 14, 2024, and I sent another letter dated Feb 28, 2024. Why is it taking so long to process our application?” he asked.
He noted that Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) had endured a 10-year wait before finally being registered in 2008 while Muda also had to resort to legal action after its initial attempts to register as a party were blocked.
“We saw what action was taken by PSM and Muda to get themselves ‘forcefully’ registered by the ROS but then again, the public is not that serious about backing a political party that takes the environment as its main platform.
“Most people see no benefits to fighting for environmental issues as part of their daily life,” he said, adding that it is usually only when it comes to haze, floods, landslides, water pollution, and other critical points that the public takes note.
Forging ties
Internationally, green parties have even formed part of the government in developed nations such as Germany and New Zealand, but Razak says that his group has yet to establish ties with such “sister” parties.
“We have yet to have proper contact with green parties of other countries as most of our party’s pro-tem committee are not fully active. Initially, we have a few former elected representatives interested in this struggle but no one has come forward publicly to join us,” he added.
Razak said that his group comprises just 50-odd supporters dedicated to the environment and it also works with Sahabat Alam Malaysia, the Malaysian Nature Society, Peka and other environmental groups.
“PSM has also been communicating with us regarding participation of memorandum signing on several issues related to the environment,” he added, urging the government to look into Green Party’s registration.
Malaysiakini is seeking a response from the ROS on this matter. - Mkini
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