Tag Archives: green finance

Ways to Improve Malaysia’s Ecological Fiscal Transfers

Rock quarries have been expanding within Bukit Lagong forest reserve, Selangor. (Satellite image from Google Earth/Airbus)

Ways to Improve Malaysia's Ecological Fiscal Transfers

Conservationists broadly agree that the EFT mechanism has been good for Malaysia and that all states could benefit from more money for biodiversity protection. But increasing allocations, making the scheme legally permanent and giving states more freedom on how they can spend EFT funds could make this mechanism more effective.

A co-publication by Macaranga and Eco-Business.

Writer: Samantha Ho

Editor: YH Law

Published: 10 April 2025

Part 1 |  Part 2

(Feature image: The Selangor state government has been approving expansion of quarries (left) in the Bukit Lagong forest reserve. | Satellite image from Google Earth/Airbus)

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Bright spots in the dark: Tracking Malaysia’s fiscal transfers for nature conservation

Bright spots in the dark: Tracking Malaysia's Fiscal transfers for nature conservation

The federal government said its Ecological Fiscal Transfer funds have spurred state governments to add protected areas and run conservation programmes. Yet as environmentalists are calling for more EFT funding, our analysis finds little transparency on most of the money disbursed, despite some state-level data from Johor and Sabah.

A co-publication by Macaranga and Eco-Business.

Writer: Samantha Ho  |  Editor: YH Law

Published: 8 April 2025

Part 1 | Part 2

(Feature image by Macaranga) 

(more...)

Are we serious about sustainability?

New research by KPMG shows that the quality of sustainability reports by public listed companies in Malaysia is unlikely to meet investors’ need to assess environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risk. Phang Oy Cheng explains why companies should do more.

IN 2020, KPMG reported that 99 of the top 100 public listed companies in Malaysia publish sustainability reports – a statistic on par with global standards.

But KPMG’s latest research shows that while our compliance to reporting requirements is very good, the quality of those reports with regards to material environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues is wanting.

(Photo: Malaysian sustainability reporting needs to improve | pic of Kuala Lumpur central business district by Ishan @seefromthesky on Unsplash)

Continue reading Are we serious about sustainability?