By Hidayath Hisham | Malaysian Reserve
The ASEAN Declaration on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment should serve as a guiding framework for governments, including Malaysia, to harmonise national policies and legislation in line with its principles.
Former Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the declaration must move beyond symbolism and drive forward-looking, rights-based policies that protect communities and the environment.
“What’s most needed now is a shift in mindset — one that prioritises people and the planet, not just industry interests, as well as concrete measures like amendments to the Environmental Impact Assessment process, stricter enforcement by authorities, and empowering the judiciary to uphold environmental rights,” he said at a forum co-organised by the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and Greenpeace Southeast Asia on Monday.
Meanwhile, Greenpeace Southeast Asia (GPSEA) said ASEAN member states must translate the declaration’s principles into enforceable national laws, with clear obligations, measurable targets and stronger accountability mechanisms.
Meanwhile, Greenpeace Malaysia Campaign Lead Heng Kiah Chun said this is a chance for ASEAN to show real courage to turn recognition into action and make environmental rights a lived reality.
He said the Regional Plan of Action (RPA) must also address transboundary pollution, biodiversity loss and corporate accountability while ensuring the meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in decision-making.
AICHR Chair and Malaysian representative Edmund Bon, who led the drafting process, said the RPA will be the true test of ASEAN’s commitment to protecting environmental rights and those who defend them.
Source: https://themalaysianreserve.com/2025/11/11/asean-environmental-declaration-should-guide-national-laws-says-nik-nazmi/. Archived at https://perma.cc/266T-MMBY
