Kuala lumpur: The National Climate Change Bill (RUU PIN), which is expected to be tabled in Parliament this year, will make Malaysia one of the few countries with specific legislation dedicated to climate change.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup stated that the implementation of the bill will also position Malaysia as the second country in the ASEAN region to enact such a law. "On a global level, Malaysia will become approximately the 60th country to have a specific bill related to climate change," he told reporters after delivering a keynote address at the Sabah Asia-Pacific Impact Investing for Sustainable Development Summit 2026 here today.

Arthur added that following the implementation of RUU PIN, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) will also implement a carbon tax as an incentive to encourage industries to transition towards more environmentally friendly processing methods, operations, and the use of green technology. "While the framework and policy for this carbon tax are developed by NRES, its implementation will be managed by the Ministry of Finance," he said.

However, he emphasised that the carbon tax is not intended to punish industries, but should instead be viewed as a measure to encourage a transition toward more sustainable and eco-friendly operations. Taking Sabah as an example, Arthur noted that the state holds a significant advantage with approximately 63 percent forest cover, thereby contributing to the nation's total forest cover of 54.4 percent. This exceeds the minimum international obligation of 50 percent agreed upon during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

"Through summits like this, we hope more investors and green technology practitioners will come to Sabah to help meet development needs, while balancing forest conservation efforts and environmental sustainability," he said.