Anthony Tan said Putrajaya was good at devising plans but not executing them.
A news report yesterday said Malaysia would request US$3 million (RM12.56 million) from the UN Green Climate Fund to develop a national adaptation plan.
Zaini Ujang, the secretary-general of the environment and water ministry, was quoted as saying the plan would focus on areas such as water, agriculture, food security, forestry, public health and infrastructure and that the ministry had long-term plans to ask for additional funding to implement these policies.
Tan told FMT it was noble of the government to pursue such a plan, even if it was “overdue by nearly a dozen years”.
“The NGO circles have been proposing an adaptation plan for some 10 years,” he said. “People called us doomsayers, but we knew a decade ago that a flood crisis was imminent.”
He said it was doubtful that the government would be able to execute the plan since too many past plans had left little tangible effect.
“Malaysia is famous for plans. The five-year Malaysia Plan is into its 12th iteration. The National Physical Plan is also one of these famous plans. Unfortunately, these get distorted and contorted when translated to individual states, districts and towns.
“Does the government have the political will to implement this so-called national adaptation plan in its entirety? Can the federal government herd all the regions and states into agreeing to work on climate adaptation?” he asked.
Tan said the amount requested was rather small and asked why the government had to get it from outside sources when it could have used the ministry’s existing budget.
He said Putrajaya could “perhaps” raise the money by removing “two or three special advisers to the prime minister”. Ismail Sabri Yaakob reportedly has three advisers, each costing about RM50,000 a month, inclusive of staff salaries.
He said he would advocate better education on the importance of climate awareness besides the development of climate adaptation policies.
“There is a fundamental difference between weather and climate,” he said, pointing out that one was short-term and the other long-term. “Most people only see rainy and dry spells, heat and cold.
“Communication, education and public awareness have to begin with the prime minister and his Cabinet colleagues and trickle all the way down. Climate change education has to reach every adult and child, citizen and non-citizen.”