31/12/2025

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Two ministries named in climate litigation case

Ű BY HARITH KAMAL newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: Environmental watchdog RimbaWatch has taken two ministries to court in what it calls the country’s first climate litigation case, alleging inaction on potentially misleading fossil fuel advertising that may amount to greenwashing. The judicial review, filed last week at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, names the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry (NRES) and the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry. RimbaWatch said the lawsuit follows a formal complaint lodged on Sept 20 against a fossil fuel company marketing a product as “carbon neutral”, a claim the group says is misleading and harmful to consumers and the environment. It lodged the complaint with the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, which oversees consumer protection, and NRES, which is tasked with preventing pollution and safeguarding the environment. “We suggest that, if indeed these claims are misleading as we believe, PETALING JAYA: Zero Waste Malaysia has applauded tougher littering enforcement, but warned that proposed fines of up to RM2,000 and mandatory community service could hit lower-income communities hardest if not paired with public education, better infrastructure and transparent rollout. Its senior programme and communications officer Tasha Sabapathy said penalties alone would not solve Malaysia’s chronic littering problem, especially in areas where basic waste management is still patchy. “There should be ongoing campaigns that involve inclusive communication to communities regarding the policy so that people understand the reasons behind it,” she said, adding that enforcement must provide space for public feedback. “If the frequency of trash collection is low in a rural kampung , slapping a fine would not solve the issue. It would only add to the burden of communities already struggling with access.” However, data gathered by Zero Waste Malaysia suggests that public support for environmentally friendly policies is growing, provided solutions remain practical and affordable. According to its 2025 stakeholder survey involving 625 respondents, 90% said they support policies that enforce zero-waste practices. While the survey did not focus specifically on littering, it identified significant structural barriers to sustainable behaviour. She said the top three challenges faced by respondents when attempting to recycle were uncertainty over what can be recycled, the complexity or tediousness of recycling processes, and difficulty finding drop-off points. “Accessibility and convenience appear to be the main issues.” She added that addressing littering requires a shift towards waste reduction rather than simply increasing the number of bins. Ű BY KIRTINEE RAMESH newsdesk@thesundaily.com

false solutions to climate change and delays real action. “Malaysia, unlike regional counterparts such as Singapore, has yet to develop regulatory guidance on greenwashing, nor have they acted proactively to address misleading claims being made. “We are hopeful that this suit will act as a wake-up call to Malaysian authorities to address greenwashing, improving alignment between corporate actions and Malaysia’s national climate and developmental priorities.” RimbaWatch said the suit aims to protect consumers and ensure corporate claims do not undermine Malaysia’s climate commitments. habits should be nurtured from a young age rather than imposed solely through fines. Others placed the onus squarely on individuals. Butterninja argued that managing one’s own waste takes minimal effort, citing Japan where people dispose of rubbish at the point of purchase rather than leaving it in public spaces. Some called for harsher penalties. Lurker4Memes argued that 12 hours of community service is too lenient, insisting that people should be fully accountable for the waste they generate and stressing that enforcement must be backed by sufficient trash and recycling infrastructure. A more measured approach was suggested by BigMandolorian, who said starting with lower fines could prevent disproportionate impacts on lower-income individuals, suggesting escalated penalties for repeat offenders. For others, the issue was with consistent enforcement. hidetoshiko said punishment only works if it is visible and sustained, suggesting public shaming as an effective deterrent in Malaysia and pointing to Singapore as a model more likely to succeed locally than Japan’s strict social norms. Questions were also raised about clarity. ryukagesanada asked whether minor acts, such as dropping cigarette butts, would be treated the same as dumping bags of rubbish, suggesting warnings for first-time offenders to build awareness. Concerns over fairness surfaced as well. toastiiii criticised the flat RM2,000 fine, arguing that it could hardly dent wealthier offenders while hitting others hard, raising fears over inconsistent enforcement or corruption if authorities lack clear evidence. Infrastructure gaps were another recurring theme. kewarken noted the scarcity of public bins, arguing that the government must invest in facilities if it expects compliance. Vast_Battle_704 questioned if acts such as public spitting would also fall under the law. – BY KIRTINEE RAMESH

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians are divided over the government’s new tough stance on littering, set to take effect tomorrow, with some welcoming the crackdown and others questioning whether authorities have the tools and infrastructure to make it work. Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming issued a final warning that anyone caught littering in public will face a RM2,000 fine and 12 hours of community service. The law applies to everyone, including foreigners, and is part of wider efforts to boost urban cleanliness nationwide. Online reaction was swift, reflecting public frustration over persistent rubbish in city centres. Some welcomed the long-overdue move. Reddit user Legatuspacis45 called it “a good start”, pointing to litter piling up around central Kuala Lumpur areas, such as Masjid Jamek, but warned that without comprehensive surveillance, enforcement could amount to little more than a token gesture. “Hard to say, but this would not actually solve the problem,” the user wrote, stressing that responsible International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) Climate Change Advisory Opinion issued on July 23, which sets a “stringent” standard of due diligence for states in protecting the climate. The ICJ opinion requires governments to establish effective national systems-laws, enforcement mechanisms and administrative procedures, and to ensure these systems function. Failing to investigate credible allegations breaches this standard, it said. The lawsuit also reflects rising concern over corporate greenwashing in Southeast Asia. Greenwashing misleads the public by exaggerating companies’ environmental efforts, promotes

o Lawsuit involves potentially misleading fossil fuel advertising

decisions is that there is seemingly no government agency empowered to investigate potentially misleading advertising or marketing claims related to climate protection,” said RimbaWatch. It stressed that the matter highlights a major regulatory gap in Malaysia and if credible greenwashing allegations are ignored, consumer rights and climate protection suffer. The case draws on the

they could harm both consumer protection and climate protection interests,” it said. However, on Sept 30, the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry said the matter falls outside its jurisdiction and advised the watchdog to approach NRES. Meanwhile, NRES said the complaint is beyond its remit and directed the group to the other ministry. “The practical effect of these

‘Harsher littering rules must pair with education, infrastructure, transparency’

Malaysians divided over new law

“We need alternative systems that reduce waste generation altogether.” She suggested refill and reuse services, composting facilities, repair hubs and deposit-return schemes. Tasha cited examples such as mobile refill services that bring package-free shopping to neighbourhoods, as well as international models. “In France, restaurants with seating capacities of more than 20 people are required to use reusable tableware for dine-in customers.” Closer to home, she urged food and beverage outlets to get on board with bring-your-own-container schemes and ditch single-use disposables for dine-in customers, adding that fast-moving consumer goods companies should step up with reusable or returnable packaging solutions. She also called on the government to clearly disclose how revenue from littering fines will be used. Ultimately, she said success should not be judged by how many people get fined, but by real drops in waste and a genuine shift in public behaviour.

“Improperly bins, especially uncovered ones in outdoor spaces, often worsen the problem as animals rummage through waste, causing it to spill.” Tasha also raised concerns about the lack of updated public data on waste generation and major polluters, noting that transparency is critical to fair and effective enforcement. “We need data on who the biggest contributors to waste are, including companies responsible for excessive packaging, especially with extended producer responsibility policies coming up. “Without this information, consumers do not understand the scale of the problem or how urgent it has become.” She warned that strict penalties without parallel systemic changes could simply shift littering away from monitored areas into rural locations or spaces without surveillance. “If enforcement is purely punitive, people may just litter where there are no camera traps,” she said. designed

Tasha said addressing littering requires a shift towards waste reduction rather than simply increasing the number of bins. – ADAM AMIR HAMZAH/ THESUN