A group of climate activists has urged the government to include a national forest audit under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) to ensure transparency in forest protection.
The call was one of five demands in a memorandum submitted by nine NGOs and a political party to MPs at the Parliament building today.
The group said a national forest audit, along with a protected forest registry endorsed by all states, could help eliminate overlapping claims and boundary confusion.
“(These) will help Malaysia align with international forest mapping standards such as those used by the United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization, enhancing credibility with global donors and facilities like Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF),” the memorandum said.
The NGOs that endorsed the memorandum were Greenpeace Malaysia, SAVE Rivers, RimbaWatch, Suara Rakyat Malaysia, Jaringan Ekologi dan Iklim, Kolektif Iklim, Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam, The Artivist Network, and Youths United For Earth.
It was also endorsed by Parti Sosialis Malaysia.
About 20 activists representing the groups marched from Taman Tugu to Parliament today to deliver the memorandum, which was accepted by Bakri MP Tan Hong Pin and Masjid Tanah MP Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.
They also urged Putrajaya to set up a national forest monitoring hub using existing satellite tools, with state and civil society access.
This will ensure transparency through annual public updates on forest cover, fostering trust and accountability in the delivery of national forest commitments, they said.
The groups also asked the government to establish a direct access fund so that indigenous peoples and local communities could directly apply for forest protection grants, without waiting on federal or state agencies.
They also mooted the establishment of a national forest finance council or climate action council under the ministry to ensure transparent fund allocations and monitoring oversight.
They likewise called for the government to table a motion in the Dewan Rakyat or a Cabinet statement to commit to joining the TFFF.
The 13MP was tabled by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in the Dewan Rakyat last Thursday. The plan requires a total of RM611 billion to implement, including RM430 billion in development funds from the government’s coffers.
Government-linked companies and government-linked investment companies will contribute RM120 billion, while the remaining RM61 billion will come from the private sector through public-private partnerships.
