PORTAL RASMI
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia needs the private sector, financial institutions and investors to move boldly in funding climate-related efforts, said Raja Muda Selangor Tengku Amir Shah Ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj.
Tengku Amir said institutions such as Khazanah Nasional Bhd, Employees Provident Fund and Permodalan Nasional Bhd need to step up as governments cannot do this alone.
“Imagine the impact if they increased their portfolio allocations towards renewable energy, low-carbon infrastructure, and nature-based solutions,” he said in his speech at the Climate Finance Summit 2025 today.
He said Malaysia still needs policy support including more financial incentives, better ESG (environmental, social and governance) regulation and creative financing tools to make it easier for the private sector to fund climate-related efforts.
“Let’s learn from Indonesia’s Tropical Landscapes Finance Facility, a powerful partnership mobilising over US$1 billion (RM4.23 billion) in blended finance for sustainable land use. Malaysia can replicate this model, adapting it to our needs,” Tengku Amir said.
He added that funding still lags far behind what is needed, as Malaysia faces an annual shortfall of RM20 billion to meet its climate goals.
“The 2021 floods alone caused RM6.1 billion in damages. Across Asean, the gap exceeds US$100 billion annually.”
Meanwhile, Tengku Amir pointed out that Singapore avoided similar devastation through S$2 billion (RM6.6 billion) in preventive investments.
“The lesson is clear. Inaction costs far more than action. Climate finance is not an expense. It is an investment in survival.”
He said strategic finance must go towards solutions such as climate-smart agriculture, flood mitigation, and disaster preparedness, especially after tragedies such as the Batang Kali landslide.
Tengku Amir stressed that climate finance must protect Malaysia’s most vulnerable, including farmers, fishermen and low-income communities.
“The agriculture sector employs over 10% of Malaysians, yet it is severely impacted by rising temperatures and drought. In some areas, oil palm yields have dropped by 20%. Coastal fishermen in Terengganu and Kelantan face rising sea levels and declining catches.”
However, he said there are also success stories. In Kuala Sepetang, Perak, decades of mangrove restoration have protected over 40,000 hectares of forest, boosted eco-tourism, and shielded local communities from storms.
He also noted that Malaysia has demonstrated leadership in the past. In 2017, it became the first country in the world to issue a green sukuk, an Islamic financial instrument to fund renewable energy.
“Tadau Energy’s green sukuk raised RM250 million to build a solar plant in Sabah. Since then, more issuances have followed,” Tengku Amir said.
He added that Malaysia is home to the world’s first syariah-compliant carbon market, the Bursa Carbon Exchange, which merges ethics with climate ambition.
He concluded that Malaysia should strive to become Southeast Asia’s climate finance hub, attracting global capital, driving regional solutions, and delivering on its net-zero 2050 commitment.
“If you’re in finance, grow your green investments. If you’re a policymaker, clear the roadblocks to climate funding. If you’re a business, embed climate action into your model. And if you’re young, use your voice and your choices to demand change.”
Tengku Amir called on the government, private sector and public to work together to make climate finance the engine of real, urgent and lasting change.
Prank calls still a hindrance for Fire and Rescue Dept's operations, says Melaka state director
- Admin UKK
- Berita
MELAKA: Prank calls continue to disrupt the Melaka Fire and Rescue Department's operations, with four incidents recorded in 2024 and two more between January and August this year.
State director Mohd Zaidi Maat emphasised that every call must be treated as genuine until verified.
"Although such prank calls have reduced drastically, we still have to check each one seriously, because lives and property may be at risk," he said after officiating the Fire and Rescue Cadet Corps marching competition at the Ayer Keroh Fire and Rescue station on Thursday (Aug 7).
Mohd Zaidi noted that prank and nuisance calls have significantly declined since the implementation of MERS 999, the national emergency response system operated by Telekom Malaysia, which screens every call before dispatching emergency teams.
"It's not like before. Previously, we received calls from heartbroken or lonely individuals but now, it's mostly people playing pranks without understanding the consequences," he said.
While experienced responders can often sense when a call might be false, he stressed that each incident still affects manpower and operations.
Separately, Mohd Zaidi highlighted the growth of the Fire and Rescue Cadet Corps across the state, with more than 600 students currently participating under the supervision of 11 fire stations statewide.
The programme equips students with hands-on experience in firefighting, rescue techniques, teamwork, and leadership.
"These cadets are learning discipline and public responsibility. We're planning to expand the programme to more schools across the state," he said.
He added that the cadet corps serves as a training ground for future firefighters and helps build greater fire safety awareness among youth.
Paras Air Empangan Bukit Merah Susut, Nelayan Darat Turut Terkesan
ABUJA (Reuters) -Nigeria's environment ministry issued a flood alert on Wednesday for 19 states, warning that heavy rainfall expected from August 5-9 could trigger flooding in various parts of the country.
The National Flood Early Warning Center identified areas at risk, including five states in the northwest, three in the south, and four in the central region, such as Niger State, where flooding in May killed 117 people and left dozens missing as well as destroying thousands of homes.
Authorities urged residents and local governments to take precautionary measures to reduce potential damage and safeguard public safety.
It is currently Nigeria's peak rainy season, a period typically associated with severe floods.
In 2022, the country experienced its worst flooding in over a decade, when more than 600 people died, 1.4 million people had to leave their homes and 440,000 hectares (1.09 million acres) of farmland were destroyed.
(Reporting by Camillus EbohWriting by Elisha Bala-GbogboEditing by Frances Kerry)
SAINT-LAURENT-de-la-CABRERISSE, France: French firefighters on Wednesday battled to halt the spread of a wildfire in the south of the country that has left one person dead as emergency workers in Spain fought a fire that has forced the evacuation of more than 1,500 people from a resort.
With Europe facing fresh August heatwaves as concerns grow over the impact of global warming, many areas are on alert for the risk of wildfires.
Winds were hampering efforts to put out a wildfire raging Wednesday near the Spanish Mediterranean tourist town of Tarifa that prompted evacuations, the regional government said.
Meanwhile the French blaze, which started on Tuesday, has destroyed or damaged 25 homes in the southern Aude department, where some 2,000 firefighters are struggling to control the largest wildfire in France this summer.
It has killed one person and injured 13 others, two of them seriously. "The fire is still very active and the situation remains unfavourable," said Lucie Roesch, secretary general of the Aude prefecture, citing drought conditions, rising temperatures and strong winds.
An elderly woman died in her home, one person is missing and two people were injured, one of whom is now in critical condition with severe burns, according to the Aude prefecture.
The 13 injured included nine firefighters.
The wildfire is a "catastrophe on an unprecedented scale" triggered by global warming, said French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou while on a visit to the affected Aude region.
"What is happening today is linked to global warming and linked to drought," Bayrou added.
The blaze has burned some 16,000 hectares of land in less than 24 hours.
Planes were dropping water on the flames, but Roesch warned "this fire will keep us busy for several days. It's a long-term operation."
Camping grounds and at least one village were partially evacuated, and several roads were closed.
"I left everything behind me," said David Cerdan, a 51-year-old who fled Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, where a woman in her 60s died after she refused to leave her home.
"I'm putting it into perspective. I only have material damage," said Cerdan, who lived near the victim.
The wildfire is the biggest in France so far in a summer which has already seen some 9,000 fires, mainly along the Mediterranean coast, according to the emergency management service.
An investigation has been opened into the cause of the fire, said local officials.
"All of the nation's resources are mobilised," President Emmanuel Macron said on X, calling on people to exercise "the utmost caution."
The Aude department in particular has seen an increase in areas burnt in recent years, aggravated by low rainfall and the uprooting of vineyards, which used to help slow down the advance of fires.
Strong, changing winds made the firefighters' job particularly difficult, officials said.
People as far as 30 kilometres away from the fire have felt its impact.
"The air is suffocating...the smell of burning has seeped into homes," said Serge de Souza, a local in the seaside town of Port-la-Nouvelle.
The frequency of wildfires is taking a toll on local residents, said Aude Damesin, who lives in the town of Fabrezan.
"It's terrible for the wildlife, the flora, and for the people who are losing everything," she said.
The European Union's crisis management commissioner, Hadja Lahbib, said on X that "the EU stands ready to mobilise international support, if needed."
Although fire crews had secured areas near hotels and other tourist accommodation, the fire in Spain's Tarifa was still not under control, said officials.
"What concerns us most right now is the wind – whether it shifts between the west and east," said Antonio Sanz, interior minister for Andalusia's regional government.
Spanish public broadcaster TVE reported that the fire had started in a camper van at a beachside campsite, before being quickly spread by strong winds.
About 1,550 people and 5,500 vehicles were evacuated from campsites, hotels, and homes, said Sanz.
Emergency crews worked through the night to prevent the fire from reaching coastal resorts, but residents and tourists have not been allowed to return, he added.
Spain is experiencing a heatwave with temperatures nearing 40C in many regions and officials reported 1,060 excess deaths in July that could be attributed to intense heat.
Climate experts say that global warming is driving longer, more intense and more frequent heatwaves around the world, making for more favourable forest fire conditions.--AFP