STRONG INSTITUTIONS VITAL TO DELIVERING EFFECTIVE CLIMATE SOLUTIONS - ABANG JO

KUCHING, March 3 (Bernama) -- Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Openg stressed that strong institutions are vital to delivering effective and sustainable climate solutions.

He said setting targets alone is insufficient, as ambition without clear institutional direction may lead to fragmentation.

“Climate action works only when institutions are equipped to connect the dots, aligning sectors, coordinating across levels of government and matching planning with financing. They must operate with clear mandates and firm legal authority.

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“They must monitor progress transparently… and they must be capable of managing fiscal and environmental risks in an increasingly uncertain climate landscape,” he said in his speech at the launch of The Subnational Climate Change Institutional Assessment (CCIA) report here, today.

Meanwhile, Abang Johari said under the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963, Sarawak has significant authority over land, forestry, marine and natural resources.

He said that if designed and coordinated properly, this institutional reality is not a complication but a strength.

“Effective climate governance in Malaysia must recognise the roles and responsibilities of Sabah and Sarawak, while ensuring national coherence.

This is not about drawing boundaries; it is about building bridges so that federal ambition and state implementation reinforce one another.

“Sarawak remains committed to constructive engagement with the Federal Government and with Sabah, ensuring policy alignment, investment coordination, and shared learning so that climate action benefits Malaysia as a whole,” he said.

-- BERNAMA