He said the declaration, which Malaysia helped push through during its Asean chairmanship, should guide future climate legislation and policy.

“The bill should be reflective of the declaration. Since its tabling has been postponed, we have time to internalise its principles in our national framework,” he said at a briefing on the declaration today.

On Oct 14, acting natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Johari Ghani said the tabling of the National Climate Change Bill would be delayed to allow more engagement with business associations and industry players.

Nik Nazmi said the declaration was an important step in recognising that environmental protection is a human rights issue.

“Climate and environmental harm is not a victimless crime. We must look at these issues through a human rights lens to help the public understand that they are directly affected,” he said.

He also cautioned the government against prioritising industry interests over environmental protection, saying the environment ministry’s focus “must remain on the environment”.

Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights chairman Edmund Bon also said the declaration brought Asean “on par with international standards”, providing a strong regional baseline for climate accountability.

He acknowledged gaps in the declaration, including limited protection for environmental defenders and the absence of binding enforcement, but said it still provided “language that civil society organisations can use to hold their governments accountable”.

Bon called on civil society and technical experts to work with AICHR to translate the declaration into practical action, saying the commission needed more input from on-the-ground experts to bridge its technical gaps.

“We don’t have expertise in all climate fields. We need more input and real solutions from those on the ground,” he said.