Plan represents part of ministry’s push to move from policy planning to concrete action
CYBERJAYA: The long-awaited National Climate Change Bill will be tabled in Parliament by March, marking one of the first major deliverables under the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry’s first 100-day agenda for 2026.
Its newly appointed minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said the Bill is expected to provide Malaysia with a clear legal framework to address climate change.
It is a central part of the ministry’s push to move from policy planning to concrete action, in line with the country’s commitment to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
He said 2026 would be a decisive year for action, echoing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s call for tangible outcomes from government policies.
“If previous years were about planning, this year is the year of implementation and acceleration.
“The people no longer want to hear promises. They want to see real results,” he said yesterday.
Also present at the event was the ministry’s new deputy minister Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh.
Arthur said the National Climate Change Bill will be tabled for its first reading alongside a companion Bill to establish a National Climate Change Authority.
When asked if it would be tabled in the upcoming parliamentary session next week, he said the first reading of the Bill would most likely take place then.
The Bill was previously delayed to allow broader consultations with state governments and industry players, amid concerns that uneven enforcement could undermine its effectiveness.
Arthur said the urgency to act is greater than ever, citing increasingly frequent floods and heatwaves as evidence that climate change is no longer a distant threat.
“The climate change agenda is a matter of national survival. We no longer have the luxury of time to merely discuss it. We are now in the phase of action.”
He also outlined other targets under the 100-day plan, including formulating a National Carbon Market Policy to boost private sector and financial participation in carbon trading under the Paris Agreement.
The ministry also plans to devolve regulatory powers over scheduled waste to Sabah and Sarawak under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 through amendments to the Environmental Quality Act 1974, also targeted for tabling by March.
Other initiatives include expanding the Low Carbon City 2030 Challenge to drive urban transformation, launching a nationwide “Plastic-Free, Earth-Safe” campaign, and providing financial incentives for states to protect forests and biodiversity.
He said RM250 million will be allocated for the forest conservation cause in 2026, including funds for community rangers tasked with addressing illegal logging and wildlife poaching.
He acknowledged that achieving all 10 key performance indicators (KPIs) in 100 days would be a major challenge but remained optimistic.
“Starting today, there is no more ‘wait and see’. Every department must move fast, set weekly targets, monitor progress and remove bureaucratic obstacles. The world will not wait for us to resolve the climate crisis.”
He stressed that the ministry would take a firm stance against environmental offences.
“I will not compromise on any illegal logging, unlicensed mining or encroachment into forest reserves.
“We must ensure every inch of the nation’s natural resources is managed with full transparency so that the benefits return to the people, not to parties seeking to profit at the expense of the environment.”
He also urged swift action on disaster management as well as climate adaptation.
“Early warning systems must be strengthened according to schedule, with no bureaucratic delays.
“The wellbeing of the people is our highest KPI and 2026 must be the year in which plans turn into real results for Malaysians.”
