KUALA LUMPUR: An environmental coalition is demanding for the government declare a climate change emergency by Malaysia Day.
The coalition, Gabungan Darurat Iklim Malaysia, would send a memorandum on the matter alongside pledges to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, next week.
Among the coalition's 12 point demands were for Putrajaya to declare 55 per cent or more of its land area as terrestrial forest reserves and 30 per cent or more of its forests as totally protected.
It is also urging the government to declare 30 per cent of its marine waters as parks while upholding indigenous peoples and local communities' rights to own and manage protected areas according to their customs under the framework of native customary land rights.
Coalition committee member Ili Nadiah Dzulfakar said if Putrajaya failed to declare the emergency by Sept 16, it would explore putting more public pressure on the government through its endorsement campaign.
Nadiah who is also Klima Action Malaysia chair said the coalition was formed in April last year to address Malaysia's response to the global climate emergency.
"We demand for the government and all sectors to declare a climate emergency to keep global warming to well below 2 degrees celcius and contain it within 1.5 degrees celcius."
"With the 15th General Election (GE15) around the corner we are demanding for a strong political will to tackle climate emergency urgently.
"We must also quickly come up with legally binding actions to adapt to as well as address climate change," she said at the launch of the memorandum here today.
Nadiah was referring to the Malaysia's Climate Change Act which was still being drafted by the Environment and Water Ministry.
The crucial act is only expected to be tabled in 2025.
Nadiah further said the coalition was ready to engage all political groups and would likely support candidates who were open to discussions on climate change, in the upcoming polls.
She said this during the launch today which was also attended by former Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka) president Puan Seri Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil.
Shariffa Sabrina who is also a committee member of the coalition called on the government to study and follow up on the demands, immediately.
"I say immediately because the government should have done this years ago because our lives and that of our loved ones depend on it."
Shariffa Sabrina said the country was hurtling towards a "point of no return due to lack of political will and sincerity to address global warming challenges."
She further said Malaysians were not equipped to survive climate catastrophe and the first group on the chopping block were poor and vulnerable communities.
"Malaysia is now registering climate change deaths and refugees and these numbers will only increase in years to come," she said, while drawing on the 2021-2022 wave floods which ravaged Selangor and Pahang.
The floods mostly affected poor and middle class communities. A total of 54 deaths were recorded while more than 67,000 people were displaced, nationwide.
Shariffa Sabrina earlier claimed that the government had long falsely projected a pro-planet image on the international stage.
However, she also said the administration and the lifestyle it propagated was centred on profit-based goals.
She said states in turn were banking on natural resources such as timber, metal and sand to compensate their dearth in talent to generate income.
"This is further fuelled by abuse of power, cronyism,bribery and a greed to enrich themselves with little or no regard for nature's wrath that lies ahead."
"The current generation's voice of eco-activism is the only way to force the government to their knees to declare such an emergency."
Shariffa Sabrina hoped for youths and the Undi18 movement would be a game-changer for climate change during GE15.
Also present were activist and former DAP senator Adrian Lasimbang and Orang Asli Rights activist Shereen Ajani from
Projek Mahasiswa Orang Asli.
Watch them live below at https: https://fb.watch/cvs3vTw69J/
Malaysians are also urged to pledge their support to the 46-page memorandum via https://gdimyorg.wixsite.com/gdimyorg/climateemergencyletter to move the PM to undertake the declaration of a climate emergency similar to nations such as Bangladesh.