In a Berita Harian report, acting natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Johari Ghani said postponing the bill would ensure that all stakeholders fully understand the implications and requirements of the law before it is enforced.
He said the delay would also give business associations time to understand the rationale behind the proposed legislation, which would include new elements such as a carbon tax.
“I want to engage directly with all business entities and trade associations,” said Johari, who is also the plantation and commodities minister.
“They need to understand the Act properly because once it’s introduced, we don’t want a repeat of what happened with the Urban Renewal Bill … where a lack of discussion led to unexpected issues.
“We want to negotiate with every association so that they understand why we need this law. There are other components tied to it – for example, the introduction of a carbon tax.
“All of this must be clearly understood by businesses because its implementation will benefit the country’s economy in the long run,” he told reporters after a conference in Kuala Lumpur.
Johari clarified that the bill serves as a long-term strategy to ensure that Malaysia’s development remains aligned with environmental sustainability goals.
He said the delay would not be prolonged, as the government is committed to expediting the process once engagement sessions are completed.
“I’ll try to resolve this as quickly as possible, but of course, it cannot take too long,” he said.
In August, Johari said the bill was expected to be tabled after the federal budget on Oct 10.
He previously said the bill would include incentives for companies that successfully reduced their carbon emissions.
Among other things, it may also include provisions for the implementation of carbon credits, which will further support the national agenda to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Johari also said the postponement of the bill’s tabling would not affect Malaysia’s commitment to its Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement.
He added that Malaysia’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions remained on track and were showing encouraging progress.
“As of now, we’ve achieved 37.1%, and we’re confident of meeting our 45% target by 2030,” he said.