15/10/2025

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SCAN ME

WEDNESDAY | OCT 15, 2025

New law and blueprint to boost sustainability agenda

SINGAPORE: An additional RM200 million allocated to the Strategic Co-Investment Fund (CoSIF) under Budget 2026 can be leveraged by Malaysian small and medium-sized enterprises in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said the funding enables co-investments in high-impact projects by Malaysian SMEs in the JS-SEZ, particularly those that contribute to streng thening the cross-border industrial ecosystem between Johor and Singapore. “CoSIF is also aimed at enabling SMEs to scale up and go global, particularly in areas such as capacity expansion, tech adoption, and sustainability. “This financing effort will complement the policy and infrastructure incentives being introduced under the JS-SEZ, ensuring a more holistic enabling framework,” he said in his keynote address at the 2nd JS-SEZ Joint Investment Forum, held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, here yesterday. Tengku Zafrul said that under the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), CoSIF will serve as a key financing instrument for industrial growth within the JS-SEZ. He noted that CoSIF has a new matching/risk sharing ratio and financing rate that is expected to attract greater private sector participation and encourage better investment leverage in projects aligned with NIMP’s industrial trans formation goals. In addition, to accelerate high-impact investments in the JS-SEZ, the minister said all manufacturing projects for non-sensitive industries within the zone’s identified economic sectors will be granted fast-track approval of the manufacturing licence (ML) within seven working days. The required “no objection letter” from the Johor state government for ML issuance will also be issued within seven working days. “Such qualifying projects will automatically receive Johor Super Lane facilitation, ensuring coordinated priority handling across state and federal agencies under a single facilitation channel,” said Tengku Zafrul. He also said that the government is exploring ways to enhance the Malaysia-Singapore Business Development Fund to enable more SMEs, particularly those looking to expand regionally, to benefit from joint business development opportunities. “We aim to facilitate collaborations, joint ventures, and tech exchange between Malaysian and Singaporean enterprises, anchored within the zone’s framework.” – Bernama SMEs in JS-SEZ can tap extra RM200 million allocated to CoSIF

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will table a National Climate Change Bill in Parliament in the coming months, providing a legal framework to govern climate action and anchor market-based financing for adap tation and resilience projects. Acting Natural Resources and Environ mental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said the proposed law will enshrine both mitigation and adaptation measures into statute, creating obligations for reporting, compliance and enforcement similar to existing corporate governance standards. “This Act will not only strengthen governance but also spur the development of a domestic carbon market, aligning Malaysia with its net-zero and nationally determined contribution targets,” Johari said in his keynote address at the Climate Adaptation and Resilience (A&R) Conference organised by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) yesterday. He said Malaysia must balance inter national commitments with national circumstances as a developing economy. While mitigation projects such as renewable energy attract investors, he said, adaptation projects such as flood defences often struggle for financing because their benefits are localised and long-term. “We must shift this paradigm by harnessing both public and private financing. Whether through public-private partnerships, green bonds or incentives for companies that build adaptive capacity, the capital market can be a powerful enabler.” Johari announced that Malaysia’s first comprehensive National Adaptation Plan (MyNAP) will be launched in January 2026. Developed with over 100 stakeholders across government, industry and civil society, MyNAP will outline strategies to address climate risks across health, infrastructure, o Govt to table National Climate Change Bill in Parliament, launch National Adaptation Plan in coming months Ű BY DEEPALAKSHMI MANICKAM sunbiz@thesundaily.com

Johari delivering in his keynote speech at the Climate Adaptation and Resilience Conference.

government, business and society,” he said. The A&R Conference gathered more than 400 delegates from ministries, financial institutions, academia and NGOs to discuss enabling policies, investment strategies and innovative models for adaptation finance. As part of its Coastal Flooding Adaptation and Resilience (COFAR) initiative, the SC recently organised the COFAR University Challenge with ICAEW Malaysia, SD Guthrie and SEADPRI-UKM. The programme engaged 220 students from 29 universities to design financially viable flood resilience solutions for Carey Island. “By embedding revenue-generating models in adaptation projects, we can improve their financial viability and attract investors,” Johari said in welcoming the initiative. An interactive exhibition, The Rising Waters, accompanied the conference, tracing Malaysia’s flood history and showcasing climate projections to highlight the urgency of new financing approaches. Johari reaffirmed Malaysia’s global pledges including maintaining at least 50% forest cover (currently at 54%), reducing emissions intensity by 45% by 2030 and cutting methane emissions by 30% by 2030, but stressed that commitments must be achievable. “We cannot simply pledge figures without ensuring implementation. That is why engagement with industries and states is crucial so that policies are practical and compliance is achievable,” he said.

agriculture, water and biodiversity. “MyNAP will complement the climate change law, serving as a blueprint to help Malaysia withstand the growing impacts of climate change,” he said. Johari underscored the urgency of adaptation, pointing to the December 2021 floods that displaced thousands and caused RM6.1 billion in losses, equivalent to 0.4% of gross domestic product. Malaysia also recorded 45 heatwave warnings in 2024, up from just two in 2023. Should current trends persist, the country could face up to 200 heatwave days annually by 2050, while floods are expected to grow more frequent and severe. “Despite contributing only 0.69% of global carbon emissions, Malaysia is dispro portionately vulnerable to climate risks. Floods, droughts and heatwaves threaten agriculture, fisheries and food security and we must prepare urgently,” Johari warned. SC chairman Datuk Mohammad Faiz Azmi said the commission aims to catalyse more private capital into adaptation and resilience efforts, with sustainability set as a central pillar of the upcoming Capital Market Masterplan 4. “Unlike mitigation, many adaptation initiatives struggle to attract financing as their benefits are long-term and not easily monetised. Yet they are essential to protect communities and economic resilience. This can only succeed if we align resources across

Malaysia must advance bio-based innovations on water management: Fadillah KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia must continue advancing the use of bio based and plant-derived technologies as sustainable alternatives to con ventional chemical treatments in water and wastewater management, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof. dependence on imported materials. “These efforts are fully aligned with the broader mission under the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) ensuring that water sus tainability and environmental vention 2025 here yesterday, which was also attended by Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari. vations to the world. “By cultivating a vibrant eco Inno-vation initiative and the Young Water Professional Mentor-Mentee Programme.

system of homegrown startups, researchers, and entrepreneurs, we can build a strong foundation of local intellectual property, strengthening our national capacity, driving eco nomic resilience and inspiring a new generation of technology leaders to carry the nation’s water legacy forward,” he said. In conjunction with the event, Fadillah launched the NextWave

Fadillah said MIWC 2025 is more than just a conference, describing it as a catalyst for transformation that brings together government, in dustry, academia and innovators united by a shared goal - to harness water’s full potential, unlock oppor tunities and drive the next wave of technology and innovation. – Ber nama

Fadillah emphasised that as Malaysia progresses towards Water Sector Transformation 2040 (AIR2040), bold steps must be taken to embrace emerging technologies and empower local innovators to shape the future of the country’s water industry. “We must not only adopt tech nologies from abroad but also create, refine and export Malaysian inno

stewardship move forward in harmony, creating lasting benefits for both people and the planet,” he said. Fadillah, who is also the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said this when officiating the Malaysia International Water Con

He said such innovations not only reduce the nation’s carbon footprint and environmental impact but also enhance resource efficiency and national self-reliance by cutting