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Daily Express
04-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
Sabah risks losing out on carbon rights if…
Published on: Friday, July 04, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jul 04, 2025 By: Abbey Junior Text Size: Future Alam Borneo Chairman Anton Ngui said Sabah cannot afford to remain passive, especially with growing global interest in carbon markets and green finance. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah may be on the verge of repeating past mistakes that cost it control over vital resources – unless it urgently asserts its rights over carbon and forest assets before the Federal Climate Change Bill is tabled in Parliament later this year. Environmental groups and State leaders are warning that Sabah could once again be sidelined in national policy decisions, as it was with oil, palm oil and maritime boundaries – where Federal laws were passed with little or no input from the State, stripping Sabah of decision-making power. Advertisement Although the Sabah Climate Action Council was established in 2024 to steer State climate efforts, there is still no clear policy or legal safeguard in place to ensure Sabah retains authority over its carbon resources. Future Alam Borneo Chairman Anton Ngui said Sabah cannot afford to remain passive, especially with growing global interest in carbon markets and green finance. 'History is repeating itself. If we wait again, carbon will become another resource that's taken from under us,' he said. He stressed that Sabah, as Malaysia's largest carbon sink, is not only in a strong ecological position – it also has an opportunity to lead the country's transition into a climate-resilient economy. 'Sabah should be leading, not just complying. There's an opportunity here to create long-term, high-value jobs in green technology and sustainable development – instead of being stuck with just agriculture and extractive industries,' he said. Anton also called for stronger leadership from state policymakers to ensure Sabah's voice is heard at the federal level, especially as Malaysia prepares to strengthen its international climate commitments. 'Carbon is the future. And it's time we treated it like an asset we own, not something others get to trade on our behalf,' he added. Sabah Climate Change Adviser Datuk Darrel Webber, speaking at the Carbon Sovereign Sabah (CSS) briefing earlier this year, warned that once Sabah loses control over how its forests are managed for carbon crediting, it would be extremely difficult to regain that authority. 'Sabah has spent decades protecting its forests, which now serve as a major carbon sink that offsets emissions from other regions. It is crucial that we don't give up control over that,' he said. The call for urgency has been echoed by other leaders. Tungku Assemblyman Assaffal Panglima Alian said stronger State-level legislation is needed immediately to ensure Sabah's long-term interests are secured. Senator Datuk Nelson Wences Angang pointed out that while federal climate policies are necessary, Sabah must have a seat at the table in designing them. 'Otherwise, we risk ending up with laws that don't reflect our realities on the ground,' he said. WWF-Malaysia's head of conservation for Sabah, Dr Robecca Jumin, said Sabah has already taken some positive steps – including amending the Forest Enactment 1968 to allow for carbon-related activities – but that momentum needs to be followed through. 'If we delay further, those gains might be lost under national frameworks that don't prioritise state-level management,' she said. This is not the first time the issue has been raised. Last year, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan warned during a state assembly sitting that Sabah needed its own carbon laws urgently – or risk being sidelined once again by federal decisions. The message from civil society and leaders alike is clear: Sabah must act now – or lose out on a critical opportunity to control its environmental and economic future. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Star
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Time running out for Sabah to take control of its carbon sovereignty, activists and state reps warn
KOTA KINABALU: Environmental groups and state leaders want Sabah to assert its rights before the Climate Change Bill is tabled in Parliament this year or risk losing control of its carbon assets, just as it did with oil and gas. They warn that without firm state legislation in place, Sabah may be forced to comply with federal climate policies drafted without its full input, repeating past mistakes that cost the state control over petroleum, palm oil, and its territorial seas. The state does not have a clear carbon policy even after the Sabah Climate Action Council was set up last year, they noted. Concerns are also mounting that Putrajaya may fast-track national climate laws that override state jurisdiction, weakening Sabah's ability to manage its own forests – the very ecosystems that make it Malaysia's largest carbon sink. Environmental NGO Future Alam Borneo chairman Anton Ngui said Sabah must act decisively before it is too late. "If we fail to assert our rights over our carbon resources, we risk losing control over one of our most valuable assets. 'Sabah is a net carbon sink, and we should be in a leadership position when it comes to national climate decisions and international representation,' he said in a statement on Wednesday (July 2). Anton said Sabah's ecological advantage is also an untapped economic opportunity that could push the state forward in climate finance, green technology and sustainability-linked investment. 'There is an opportunity here for Sabah to be in a globally significant position. This can complement our labour-intensive agriculture sector and sputtering industrialisation plan,' he said. He urged Sabah leaders to be 'on the ball' and insist on strong state representation at the federal level. 'Once again, we are staring at the possibility of Sabah being legislated out of its own forests if we remain slow or silent," he said. Earlier this year, Sabah Climate Change adviser Datuk Darrel Webber, when speaking at the Carbon Sovereign Sabah (CSS) briefing, said Sabah's decades-long forest conservation efforts have made it a vital carbon sink that offsets emissions from other regions. 'It is crucial that Sabah does not lose its ability to manage these resources. Once control is lost, it is very difficult to reclaim,' he warned. Tungku assemblyman Assaffal Panglima Alian echoed these concerns and called for stronger, state-led legal frameworks to protect Sabah's interests. Senator Datuk Nelson Wences Angang said that while federal climate efforts are commendable, Sabah must have a seat at the table to ensure its rights are not sidelined. WWF-Malaysia's head of conservation for Sabah, Dr Robecca Jumin, noted that Sabah had already taken a step forward by amending its Forest Enactment 1968 to pave the way for carbon governance. 'But delays in building on that momentum could weaken Sabah's position, especially once federal laws are in place,' she said. Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan also addressed the issue in the state assembly in June last year, warning that Sabah must move quickly to pass its own carbon legislation or risk being boxed in by national policies.
