Malaysia promised to keep 50% of its forests. These 6 youths say we’re about to break it.

Ever get the feeling that lately, the weather panas gila sia? The ongoing heatwave, alongside heavier rainfall and more frequent floods, are just a few examples in a laundry list of climate-related changes Malaysia is already seeing. 

What you might not have realised is that these changes are closely tied to the loss of our forests. But wait, isn’t Malaysia basically one giant rainforest? 

Well, apparently we don’t have as many trees as we think we do. According to official reports, barely 54% of our land is under forest cover, and that number is expected to drop even further very soon. Which is why…

6 Malaysian youths are suing the government to put a stop to it

The youths in question are Abe Lim, Sitti Fatimah, Winona Elisha Jemak, Lee Yu Dong, Adom Teh, and Amira Aliya. Aged between 18 to 30 years old, they come from backgrounds in climate governance advocacy, NGO work, law, and international relations. 

Together, the group is suing the Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability and the Federal Government of Malaysia at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, under the banner of Mana Hutan Kami. So what’s all the fuss about?

Well, the lawsuit is aimed at ensuring the government keeps a promise it made over 30 years ago. Back in 1992, the then-Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad made a pledge at the Rio Earth Summit: to keep 50% of Malaysia’s land forested. 

“At the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, as the Prime Minister back then, I made a pledge that Malaysia is committed to maintain at least 50 percent of our land mass under forest cover. Today, almost three decades later, I am proud to announce that we have not reneged on that pledge.”

– Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, former Prime Minister of Malaysia, in a keynote address at the UN HQ in 2019.

Back then, almost 60% of Malaysia was covered by self-regenerating tropical rainforest. Fast forward more than 30 years later, and that number has dropped to about 54%.  

That means we’re already dangerously close to the 50% benchmark. But an expert report using data from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre suggests something even more shocking. Around 4.27 to 4.51 million hectares of natural rainforest have already been earmarked for conversion into plantations, timber production, and other commercial ventures. 

That’s larger than the size of Perak and Johor combined. Left unchecked, Malaysia’s forest cover could soon fall to as low as 47.4%. 

Why does it matter if we have less than 50% of forests?

According to the people behind Mana Hutan Kami, the loss of our forests means even hotter weather and even more floods. In 2024 alone, flood-related losses cost Malaysia RM933.4 million. That’s up from RM755.4 million the year before, an increase of about $178 million compared to 2023.

It’s no secret that deforestation is bad news for the nation. As one of only 17 megadiverse countries on Earth, the loss of Malaysia’s forests is a blow to our planet’s biodiversity and our status as a wildlife haven. Indigenous communities across the country are also poised to face the worst of these ecological changes, as their homes are vulnerable to logging and excessive rainfall.

The group of 6 hopes to represent a generation that might lose their future to frequent floods, intense heatwaves, biodiversity collapse, and food and water insecurity. For them, the loss of Malaysia’s forests is a generational injustice, and today’s land-use decisions will bite back at those who had no say in the matter.

“For me and for many young people, this suit will determine the fate of our lives. We keep hearing people in power to protect us, only to destroy the very land we live on for the sake of private interests. My peers are losing hope every day for a decent future.”

– Amira Aliya, pre-university student.

But, perhaps the burning question on everyone’s mind is…

Can they actually sue the government over this? And will this amount to anything?

In short, the group argues that the Federal Government may have breached four legal grounds under Malaysian law:

• Article 5(1) of the Federal Constitution – the right to life, which the group claims encompasses the right to a safe, clean and sustainable environment
• Article 8(1) of the Federal Constitution – the right to equality, given the disproportionate burden borne by youths and future generations
• The doctrine of legitimate expectation – arising from the Government’s consistent and decades-long representations to maintain 50% forest cover
• The public trust doctrine – which requires the Government to hold natural resources in trust for the public and future generations, not to surrender them to private commercial interests

Following the lawsuit, the group is seeking a declaration that their constitutional rights have been breached. They are also asking the court to issue a mandatory order requiring the Government to take all necessary steps to ensure Malaysia maintains its 50% forest cover. 

To keep the relevant authorities accountable, the group is proposing that the Government submits regular progress updates at the 90th, 180th, and 270th day after the order is made.

“At its core, this case is about the constitutional rights of Malaysian citizens. When deforestation is out of control, your constitutional right to life is imminently threatened. When forests make way for short-term commercial gains, the youths and children’s rights to non-discrimination are threatened — they will inherit a hotter, more polluted and more dangerous world in the long-term, through no fault of their own.”

– Lim Wei Jiet, lawyer acting for the group.

What can we do to help?

So, our forests may be slipping into the hands of those looking to clear them. The consequences could be hotter weather, more frequent floods, and permanent disruptions to the way many Malaysians live. The question then becomes: what can we do about it?

To learn more about how you can volunteer or support the Mana Hutan Kami movement, you can visit their website. The group is actively looking for more voices and welcomes volunteers with a wide range of skills, including legal research, videography, design, and community outreach. 

You can also follow the group on Instagram, or simply email them at [email protected].

“We want to be the voice for people who can’t do this. We’re putting a lot on the line by suing the government. Being blacklisted may very well be a consequence of our actions. But I think it’s really important to just try.”

– Abe Lim, climate governance advocate.