MP’s Pledge, CERAH MALAYSIA

In the area of sustainable development and the rights of future generations, we are at the commencement of a journey and the law is lagging behind. But if more of us, with courage, determination and hope start walking in a particular direction, I have no doubt that, in time, a path will emerge for others to follow.

I am reminded of the saying that it is not the law that makes us free. It is we that make the law free. Let us then raise our voices to make sustainability a genuine priority so that we can build a nation that is greener, cleaner, wealthier and happier.

Profesor Emeritus Datuk Dr. Shad Saleem Faruqi,
Tunku Abdul Rahman Chair, University of Malaya

Starting from the top!

We called on all Members of Parliament to sign the pledge below to –
(1) recognise every person’s right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as part of our fundamental liberty in Article 5(1); and
(2) support its recognition in any –
(i) future legislation, including amendments to existing legislation;
(ii) future amendments to the Federal Constitution; and
(iii) policies and programmes that affect the environment.

Sign The Pledge

We cannot ignore the more frequent and more devastating floods, the mounting evidence of the serious impacts of air pollution and the urgent need to combat climate change and its consequences.
We are greatly encouraged by the historic resolution by the United Nations General Assembly on 28 July 2022 declaring access to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, a universal human right. We are proud that Malaysia has voted in favour of the resolution.
We believe that this pledge is crucial even though Malaysian judges have interpreted the right to life in Article 5(1) of the Federal Constitution to include the right to live in a reasonably healthy and pollution-free environment because the Constitution does not explicitly refer to environmental rights.