KUALA LUMPUR: Budget 2025 must allocate more to empowering the Environment Department (DOE) to tackle environmental offenders, said Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
He also said that with enough allocation, Malaysia could reach net zero emissions before the targeted date of 2050 and be the beacon of sustainability in Southeast Asia.
Nik Nazmi stated that despite the increased penalties for environmental offences, the Environment Department still needs the necessary equipment and ability to take action.
He said this after the launch of the International Greentech and Eco Products Exhibition and Conference Malaysia (IGEM) 2024 by Economics Minister Rafizi Ramli on Thursday (Oct 10) at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center.
Nik Nazmi said he had forwarded the request to the Finance Ministry to examine the DOE with a “fresh perspective,” as the public expects the DOE to take action on environmental offences.
“The Environment Quality Act was established 50 years ago and came from a different era.
“We want to look at a new model to empower DOE, which will be detailed in the next Budget and 13th Malaysian Plan (RMK13),” said Nik Nazmi.
He said that the Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) Progressive Regulatory Framework, initiated by the Economics Ministry, also needs to be taken to the Asean level.
“We need to finalise the national carbon market to help us meet our carbon emissions goals and unlock the value of natural assets such as forests.
“Although our carbon emissions are relatively small, we aim to take responsibility and demonstrate our ambition to become a beacon of sustainability in South East Asia.
“We are currently on the right path and have the right momentum to make the changes needed to achieve our environmental goals,” said Nik Nazmi.
