Kota Kinabalu: Rural communities in Sabah remain largely unaware of the realities and risks of global warming despite the state being among Malaysia’s leading contributors to climate and forest conservation efforts, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said.
Speaking after a Communication, Education and Public Awareness (Cepa) session in Kota Kinabalu on Thursday, the minister urged stronger involvement from local authorities and rural communities to support national climate targets under the Paris Agreement.
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“Participation from Sabah, including its local authorities, is still very low. We need to start efforts so that more people, including those in rural areas, can take part in initiatives that reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable lifestyles,” he said.
Arthur noted that while Malaysia has taken recognised steps toward climate action, awareness and participation on the ground remain limited, particularly in Sabah’s rural districts where community engagement is essential for meaningful progress.
He explained that programmes such as the Low Carbon Cities initiative require cooperation from the private sector, government agencies and local councils, but uptake from Sabah’s local authorities has been “very, very low”.
“Rural communities can also contribute to this effort, whether by adopting more sustainable lifestyles or participating in initiatives that can earn recognition through certification and rating systems,” he said.
Despite the awareness gap, he acknowledged Sabah’s leadership in climate governance, noting that the state had already passed its own climate change and carbon governance enactment ahead of many other jurisdictions.
He highlighted Sabah’s vast forest reserves as a major national asset in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and generating carbon credits.
“Sabah is slightly ahead. About 83,000 hectares in Kuamut have been recognised as a carbon credit project area, producing more than 80,000 tonnes of carbon credits that have already been traded on the Bursa Carbon Exchange,” he said.
At the federal level, he said the National Climate Change Bill, known as RUUPIN, is currently being finalised and is expected to be tabled in Parliament this year.
If passed, Malaysia would become one of about 60 countries worldwide with dedicated climate legislation and the second in Asean after the Philippines.
Arthur said the proposed law would institutionalise climate action across government levels, requiring states, industries and local councils to implement concrete measures to cut emissions and support Malaysia’s target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
“Previously, these were mostly voluntary efforts. Through legislation, we want to institutionalise climate action so that it becomes part of how government, industry and communities operate,” he said.
