KUALA LUMPUR: Felda has welcomed the proposed National Climate Change Bill (RUUPIN), describing it as a transformative step towards strengthening Malaysia’s climate governance framework and accelerating the development of the country’s agricultural carbon market.
Speaking at the Malaysia Palm Carbon Conference, Felda chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the National Climate Change Bill, together with the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system, would establish the necessary foundation for future carbon pricing and carbon market mechanisms in Malaysia.
“This is precisely why the Bill is a game changer. It paves the way for future carbon pricing and tax mechanisms in Malaysia,” said Ahmad Shabery.
“For the first time, Malaysia will have a legal framework that gives real teeth to our climate ambitions.
“The Bill moves Malaysia from good intentions to binding commitments – from promises made on international stages to duties that are enforceable at home. It creates the architecture to penalise those who damage and to reward those who heal.”
Ahmad Shabery said the Bill was the “baby” of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup.
Ahmad Shabery praised Kurup for his patience through long deliberations, nurturing the Bill through competing pressures and bringing it into the world with quiet, unwavering conviction.
“This newborn will bring happiness to smallholders and settlers whose carbon stewardship may one day be recognised and rewarded; to an oil palm industry that has long been misunderstood; to our international partners who have urged Malaysia to formalise its climate commitments; and to a planet that has waited far too long for humanity to act with both courage and conscience.
“On behalf of everyone gathered here, thank you for your vision, persistence and belief that Malaysia can lead. The Bill exists because you and your ministry had the patience to plant and tend to it too.”
The remarks were delivered at MPC2026, which was officiated by Kurup and held at the Grand Ballroom, Menara Felda.
The conference brought together industry players, policymakers, researchers, sustainability experts and the settler community to explore opportunities within the agricultural carbon market through carbon credit generation, carbon sequestration and circular bioeconomy initiatives.
It also served as a platform to strengthen public-private partnerships and accelerate the transition towards a more competitive and sustainable low-carbon economy.
A key focus of the conference was the recognition of oil palm plantations as natural carbon sinks and the role of the palm oil industry in supporting Malaysia’s climate commitments.
Discussions highlighted opportunities to generate carbon credits, optimise carbon sequestration and develop market-based mechanisms that reward environmental stewardship.
Shabery noted that Felda’s nearly one million hectares of managed land represent not only production assets but also significant carbon assets.
Through carbon absorption, methane capture via biogas facilities, biomass recycling and renewable energy initiatives, Felda is contributing to national and global climate goals while advancing the principles of a circular economy.
He also stressed that Felda settlers and smallholders should be recognised and rewarded as frontline contributors to climate action and be empowered to participate in emerging carbon market opportunities.
The conference further highlighted the potential of palm biomass as a feedstock for high-value products under a circular bioeconomy model, creating new economic opportunities while reducing environmental impact.
Participants also discussed the role of palm-based biodiesel in enhancing energy security and supporting Malaysia’s transition towards cleaner energy sources.
The participation of embassy representatives from Algeria, together with delegates and speakers from Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Japan and Nigeria, reflects growing international interest in Malaysia’s sustainable palm oil industry and its efforts to position agriculture as a key contributor to climate solutions and the emerging carbon economy.
MPC2026 underscores the Malaysian palm oil industry’s continued commitment to sustainability, innovation and climate action, while reinforcing Felda’s role in advancing a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable agricultural sector.
