Despite the fact that they can both be said to exist, the bauxite industries in Australia and Malaysia couldn’t be more different. In fact, they are directly at odds – Australia’s highly regulated and deeply-entrenched bauxite mining sector is being undercut by Malaysia’s quick and cheap exports. Both countries are…
Malaysia’s average temperature has increased by 0.7 degrees celcius since 1969. This fact alone might not sound earthshattering, but it could be just that for a country at high risk for weather and temperature changes. Let’s break it down: Temperature changes in Malaysia are reflected by hotter days, longer droughts…
The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement – an enormous ‘free-trade’ agreement between Malaysia, the United States, Australia and numerous other countries – is steadily marching towards ratification. Billed as a catalyst of international trade and booster of economies, the multinational agreement is extremely controversial as it includes many laws that…
As the sun sets on the Tenth Malaysia Plan – a blueprint for social and economic development announced by Prime Minister Najib Razak in 2010 – it looks like the Malaysian Government has fallen woefully short of achieving the promises it made to the state of Sabah. Sabahan political figure…
As of September, Malaysians were officially required to recycle. Considering that Malaysia has a less than 10% recycling rate – approximately 90% of waste going into overflowing landfills that release greenhouse gases, leech contaminants into the soil and propagate dengue fever-carrying mosquitos and a terrible odor – this is welcome…
More than a month after they started burning, Indonesian forest fires that caused a crippling haze epidemic are still raging strong. The record-breaking burn is due largely to palm oil practices that dry out, expose and otherwise make the peatland beneath them extremely susceptible to fires. As a result of…
After years of unregulated bauxite mining activity in the Malaysian state of Pahang, scientific surveys have proven without a doubt that the pollution worrying residents and causing them to fall ill is beyond acceptable levels. The findings – which will support public outcry for the regulation or scale-down of bauxite…
At present, Malaysia finds itself in dire straits. Prime Minister Najib Razak is at the center of an international scandal involving his alleged embezzlement of $700 million. Two enormous protests have resulted (one anti-government and one pro-Malaysian pride) which have divided the country and brought race politics into the foreground. …
The European Union is one of the largest sources of foreign investment in ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations), and has been fueling a lot of big business especially in Malaysia. A huge byproduct of this investment is the enabling of environmental problems, but the EU hasn’t offered to lend a…
Malaysia’s national biodiversity policy is currently being revised to include further consideration for the country’s delicate environment. The opportunity is a great one – the vital document hasn’t been reviewed in decades, and it could do more to protect Malaysia’s plant and animal life. On paper, biodiversity in Malaysia has…
Because haze in Indonesia often blows over to become haze in Malaysia, both countries often suffer from Indonesian fires. It is for this reason that Malaysia’s Natural Resources and Environment Minister will soon be meeting with his Indonesian counterpart to discuss the matter of transboundary haze pollution. The Malaysian environmental…
Since January this year, hundreds of abuse cases involving migrant workers in Malaysia have been recorded. The offenses range from unsanitary conditions and illegally low wages all the way up to forced labor. Tales of physical abuse, crippling hours and filthy conditions with no electricity, running water or even mattresses…
As fires continue to rage through Indonesia and the haze they produce chokes Singapore, Malaysia and neighboring countries, people are looking for answers. When will it stop? What is Indonesia doing about it? Will it happen again next year? Indonesia has been promising for years to step up security –…
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is at the center of a scandal involving what could be billions of dollars, and the case has blown up into a multinational episode of epic proportion. The case of Najib’s allegedly smuggling well over $700 million of government money into his personal accounts through…
Heeding reports of devastating pollution and lending an ear to local unrest, The Malaysian state of Terengganu has frozen all new applications for bauxite mining. “So far we have decided to freeze [applications] and not give permission to any party that wants to mine bauxite, although some of them are…
A recent sizing-up of illegal logging in Malaysia revealed that the Forest Department of Sarawak conducted 240 raids, confiscated 12,000 cubic meters of timber and submitted a total of 122 investigation papers to the state government as of July this year. Much of this legal action has to do with…