The Gombak-Hulu Langat (GHL) Geopark was declared the first national geopark in Selangor by Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah last November. This brought the total to 10 national geoparks and two Unesco Global Geoparks (UGGp) in the country.

However, this brings to question whether a geopar...

Environment: Can geopark status protect natural sites?

Increasing scrutiny on ESG has led to a global rise in litigation against companies that commit greenwashing. At the same time, several countries are coming up with regulations and guidelines to prevent the activity.

Malaysian companies have also been accused of greenwashing, which is t...

Regulations: Should Malaysia have a law against greenwashing?

In January, during a routine firefly survey in Taman Persekutuan Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, Jack Tan, a research assistant and master’s student in environmental science at Monash University, unintentionally rediscovered a firefly species last seen a century ago in Malaysia. His find marks the nin...

Biodiversity: Protecting fireflies in urban forests

Of the many threats to the survival of tigers in Malaysia, one of the most overlooked is the decline of its primary prey: the sambar deer, one of the largest deer species in Southeast Asia. Marked by a dark brown coat and large antlers in males, sambar deer are vital in sustaining the population ...

Cover Story: Saving the Malayan tiger by protecting its prey

Malaysia has committed to two climate targets. One is to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and the other is the nationally determined contribution (NDC) target of 45% carbon intensity reduction (against GDP) by 2030, which is submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

How is Malaysia going to achieve net zero by 2050?

Mayamode, a co-working fashion design space, is the central hub for the Fashion Design Technology course at Taylor’s University in Subang Jaya. It is home to a community of aspiring designers who are sewing and weaving fashion and sustainability into their creations.

The Fashion Design ...

Fashion: Sewing sustainably

Low Yuan Heng, founder of YHL Aquatic, was inspired to start his shrimp farming business in 2018 when he came across research from the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the University of British Columbia on the environmental impact of shrimp consumption.

Shrimps are either caught in...

Circular Economy: Making aquaculture more sustainable

Datuk Shah Redza Hussein, whose career in conservation spans close to 30 years, took on the role of CEO at the Malaysia Forest Fund (MFF) in January this year to fulfil his goal of attracting more funding to the conservation of forests in Malaysia.

Shah Redza is perhaps best known for h...

Profile: A conservationist in search of solutions

The question many are asking today is: Is DEI still relevant? The short answer is — now more than ever! International Women’s Day 2025, with the theme “Accelerate action” and celebrated globally in March, reaffirms the commitment to powering progress and impact through diversity, equity and inclu...

Views: Is DEI still relevant?

Despite the ongoing economic uncertainties and geopolitical unrest, environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices remain a strategic tool to build resilience and navigate the challenges, said the speakers at The Edge Malaysia ESG Forum 2025 held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel today.

ESG practices needed to build resilience in uncertain times

Bank Negara Malaysia will support Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship theme of “Inclusivity and sustainability” by focusing on two areas: Financing for energy transition projects in Asean, and supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in their journey on the low-carbon transition.

These ...

Finance: Bank Negara Malaysia to work with Asean on the green transition

Malaysia is not short of policies and plans to tackle climate change. However, for these initiatives to be effective, climate change and its related impacts must be considered in the country’s public financial management processes.

These are among the suggestions that Marco Larizza, sen...

Climate: World Bank: Malaysia has to strengthen institutions to adapt to climate change

Public-listed companies (PLCs) in Malaysia are now required to use Bursa Malaysia’s Centralised Sustainability Intelligence (CSI) platform as their official sustainability reporting channel. This follows the regulator’s late-March announcement that the CSI platform is fully equipped to support di...

Reporting: Bursa aims to address companies’ sustainability reporting burden

Malaysia’s passing of the Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) Bill in March has left many questions unanswered about the bill’s place in contributing to the country’s climate goals. Yet, it is a step forward in implementing a flagship catalyst project under the National Energy Transiti...

Cover Story: Who benefits from CCUS in Malaysia?

LONDON (June 17): The British government is set to finalise a 500-million-pound ($679 million) rail steel deal between Network Rail and British Steel, aiming to protect thousands of jobs at a steelmaking plant in Eastern England that was brought under state control earlier this year.

Th...

UK finalises 500 million pound rail contract to save British Steel jobs

US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba failed to reach an agreement on a trade package on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) Summit, an outcome that leaves the Asian nation inching closer to a possible recession as the pain of US tariffs hits its economy.

Trump, Ishiba fail to reach US-Japan trade deal at G7 Summit

Israel and Iran attacked each other for a fifth straight day on Tuesday, and US President Donald Trump urged Iranians to evacuate Tehran, citing what he said was the country's rejection of a deal to curb nuclear weapons development.

Trump urges Tehran evacuation as Iran-Israel conflict enters fifth day

US stocks closed higher on Monday, as oil prices retreated after the Israel-Iran attacks left crude production and exports unaffected, easing investor concerns about the potential for higher energy prices to stoke inflation.

US equities end higher as oil prices pull back on truce hopes

MORNING CALL: 17/6/25

U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday they had finalized a trade deal reached between the two allies last month.

Trump, standing alongside Starmer at the Group of Seven summit in Canada, said the relationship with Britain was "fantastic," as he waved, and then briefly dropped, a document that he said he had just signed.

Trump signs proclamation to implement US-UK trade deal, Starmer calls it 'sign of strength'

In a surprise move, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Monday he had agreed with U.S. President Donald Trump that their two nations should try to wrap up a new economic and security deal within 30 days.

The announcement came only a few hours after Canadian officials said the two sides still had plenty of work ahead before they could seal the agreement.

Carney says he and Trump are aiming for a Canada-US deal inside 30 days

Oil fell on signs that the conflict in the Middle East may avoid disrupting crude production, with Iran seeking to deescalate hostilities with Israel. 

West Texas Intermediate slid 1.7% to settle below $72 a barrel after spiking to start the session and swinging in an $8 throughout the day.

Oil drops on signs conflict may spare Iranian crude production

Senate Republicans plan to delay and make less onerous a levy targeting foreign companies and investors from countries that the US determines have been unfairly taxing US companies.

The provision, officially known as Section 899 and informally known as the “revenge tax,” was drafted by House Republicans and supported by the White House to counter several European countries, Canada, Australia and more nations from taxing US firms in a way those lawmakers argue is discriminatory.

Senate delays and scales back ‘revenge tax’ in Trump bill

Relative calm returned to global markets, with stocks climbing and oil sinking alongside gold as fears subsided that Israel’s war against Iran would escalate into a wider conflict. News reports that Tehran wants to restart talks over its nuclear program also fueled risk-on sentiment.

Equities bounced after Friday’s slide, with the S&P 500 up about 1%. West Texas Intermediate settled below $72 a barrel after spiking at the start of the session.

Stocks rise as fear of all-out Mideast war eases

Here is a brief recap of Monday’s top local business news and corporate announcements.

CIMB, Solarvest, Berjaya Land, Deleum, Poh Kong, Sersol 

When Paula Comings, the head of currency sales for US Bancorp, talks to US importers, she increasingly hears the same message: Their foreign counterparties no longer want to be paid in dollars.

Many exporters no longer want dollars — US bank executive

Port Klang’s container handling charges will remain among the most competitive in the region despite the latest tariff revision, the Port Klang Authority (PKA) said on Monday.

Port Klang Authority hits back at FMM over port tariff concerns

Meta Platforms Inc will begin showing ads inside of its WhatsApp messaging service, opening a new potential revenue stream while the company invests heavily in artificial intelligence and other long-term projects.

WhatsApp to show ads, offer paid subscriptions for first time

If you want to understand why Malaysia feels like it’s running in place while others sprint past, don’t listen to the speeches. Look at the charts. Three of them, actually. One tracks Malaysia’s competitiveness ranking since 2010. Another shows our share of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Asean since 1980. And the third is a pie chart of where those investment dollars actually landed in 2021. Together, they don’t just tell a story of lost market share — they expose a deeper rot: lost momentum, lost trust and the slow evaporation of Malaysia’s economic gravity.

Opinion: The forgotten frontrunner — How Malaysia fell behind in the Asean race

Malaysia has advanced 11 spots in the World Competitiveness Ranking 2025 to 23rd among 69 economies — its best ranking since 2020 — according to the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti).

In 2024, Malaysia was ranked 34th in the list after falling seven spots from 27th in 2023.

Malaysia rises 11 spots to 23rd in World Competitiveness Ranking, its best placement since 2020

The extension of the judicial tenure of the Chief Justice and the President of the Court of Appeal in Malaysia for six months is constitutionally valid under Article 125(1) of the Federal Constitution, contrary to the opinions of certain quarters, including a learned former judge.

Opinion: Extension of Chief Justice’s tenure is constitutionally valid and necessary

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in Melaka has arrested the director of the finance department of a local authority in the state on suspicion of abusing his power by using RM50 million of the authority's funds to invest in shares.

Melaka local authority director nabbed over alleged misuse of RM50m in funds

Israel&nbsp;and Iran attacked each other for a fifth straight day on Tuesday, and US&nbsp;President Donald Trump urged Iranians to evacuate Tehran, citing what he said was the country's rejection of a deal to curb nuclear weapons development.

US stock indexes rose on Monday as oil prices retreated after the Israel-Iran attacks left crude production and exports unaffected, allaying investor concerns ahead of a Federal Reserve policy meeting.

Wall Street climbs as oil prices ease, Fed meeting in focus

Mitsubishi Corp is in advanced talks to buy Aethon Energy Management for close to US$8 billion (RM33.9 billion), people familiar with the matter said, in what would be the Japanese conglomerate’s biggest ever acquisition.

Mitsubishi said in advanced talks to buy Aethon for US$8b

Senate Republicans plan to delay and make less onerous a levy targeting foreign companies and investors from countries that the US determines have been unfairly taxing US companies.

The provision, officially known as Section 899 and informally known as the “revenge tax,” was drafted by House Republicans and supported by the White House to counter several European countries, Canada, Australia and more nations from taxing US firms in a way those lawmakers argue is discriminatory.

A diamond tycoon wanted in a US$1.5 billion (RM6.36 billion) fraud case told a UK court he was kidnapped by Indian agents in 2021 and tortured to extract a confession that he colluded with political opponents to defraud local banks.

Diamond tycoon alleges India abducted him to extract false confession

US&nbsp;stocks&nbsp;closed higher on Monday, as oil prices retreated after the Israel-Iran&nbsp;attacks&nbsp;left crude production and exports unaffected, easing investor concerns about the potential for higher energy prices to stoke inflation.

Relative calm returned to global markets, with stocks climbing and oil sinking alongside gold as fears subsided that Israel’s war against Iran would escalate into a wider conflict. News reports that Tehran wants to restart talks over its nuclear program also fueled risk-on sentiment.

Equities bounced after Friday’s slide, with the S&amp;P 500 up about 1%. West Texas Intermediate settled below $72 a barrel after spiking at the start of the session.

Oil fell on signs that the conflict in the Middle East may avoid disrupting crude production, with Iran seeking to deescalate hostilities with Israel.&nbsp;

West Texas Intermediate slid 1.7% to settle below $72 a barrel after spiking to start the session and swinging in an $8 throughout the day.

Samsung Electronics Co plans to develop a hub for users to share health data directly with doctors in between visits, stepping up competition in the technology-driven health care race.

Samsung is building a hub for patients to share data with doctors

A UK ethanol producer that has warned of the risk to its business from tariff-free US imports said it is almost too late to save its output.

UK ethanol maker in last-ditch survival effort on US threat

US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba failed to reach an agreement on a trade package on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) Summit, an outcome that leaves the Asian nation inching closer to a possible recession as the pain of US tariffs hits its economy.

In a surprise move, Canadian Prime Minister Mark&nbsp;Carney&nbsp;said on Monday&nbsp;he&nbsp;had agreed with U.S. President Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;that their two nations should try to wrap up a new economic&nbsp;and&nbsp;security&nbsp;deal&nbsp;within&nbsp;30&nbsp;days.

The&nbsp;announcement came only a few hours after Canadian officials said the&nbsp;two sides still had plenty of work ahead before they could seal the&nbsp;agreement.

ESG

‌‌

‌
‌