Sustainability meets law: Sarawak pushes ESG leadership in Southeast Asia
KUCHING (July 4): Sarawak is steadily positioning itself as a regional thought leader in legal and policy frameworks amid Southeast Asia's intensifying focus on climate change, energy transition and environmental, social and governance (ESG) compliance.
State Deputy Minister for Energy and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni said Sarawak is not only responding to global sustainability trends but also contributing to the definition of responsible development in the region.
'We do not see sustainability and economic growth as opposing forces. In Sarawak, they are two sides of the same coin — and we are building the policy ecosystem to prove it,' he said.
Dr Hazland made these remarks at the Arbitrating Sustainability in Southeast Asia forum organised by the Malaysian Bar Council, held in conjunction with the Kuala Lumpur Alternative Dispute Resolution (KL ADR) Week 2025.
The event brought together senior government officials and legal experts from across Asean to explore how arbitration and dispute resolution can support sustainable development.
A high-level regional panel featured representatives from the Solicitor General's Office of the Philippines, as well as leading arbitration practitioners from Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia — reflecting the cross-border urgency of ESG governance.
Dr Hazland emphasised that robust legal and regulatory infrastructure is critical in attracting green investment and promoting good governance.
'Regulatory certainty is key to attracting green investment. That is why Sarawak supports legal innovation — not just in legislation, but in dispute resolution,' he said.
Bar Council Arbitration and Construction Law Committee chair Abang Iwawan, in his opening remarks, highlighted the shifting legal landscape across Southeast Asia.
'Sustainability is no longer a buzzword — it is now a site of legal transformation. Governments are codifying climate responsibilities, investors are embedding ESG safeguards, and infrastructure projects are being shaped by carbon disclosure regimes and Indigenous rights.
'These shifts raise urgent legal questions that cut across contracts, regulatory frameworks, and dispute resolution,' he concluded. Dr Hazland Abang Hipni ESG Southeast Asia sustainability
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