Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) account for 97% of all business establishments in Malaysia and employ around 48% of the country’s workforce. While the pressure to provide sustainability-related disclosures and adopt relevant practices has thus far been on bigger companies, SMEs are increasingly affected as well. A special feature in the recent Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) 2023 annual report, titled “Supporting SMEs transition to greener practices”, highlights the risks, opportunities, steps and toolkits for SMEs in this low-carbon transition.

Helping SMEs cope with climate change

It took only one meeting between Anish Mathew Samuel and Chakrapani Ruddraramker, who both went to the same business school in Manila, to quit their jobs and set up a company to trade eco-friendly products, thanks to their passion for sustainability.

This was 10 years ago. Soon, they be...

Agriculture: On a quest to make organic farming affordable

As it stands, all development projects seeking approval in Malaysia are subject to one regulatory process for assessing their environmental impact, known as Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (EQA 1974). EIAs are a planning tool. By laying out a formal...

Views: A rubber stamp on environmental degradation?

There were few positive headlines about ESG and sustainable funds in the last few years. In 2022, the returns of many of these funds were negatively impacted by their underexposure to energy counters and overexposure to technology stocks. In 2023, declining fund flows and a net outflow were recor...

Finance: Waiting for more maturity in ESG

East Ventures, a venture capital firm that focuses on Southeast Asia (SEA), has launched a free web-based greenhouse gas (GHG) calculator called Ecovisea for companies to measure their emissions. Ecovisea, which stands for emissions calculator and visualisation SEA, was developed in collaboration...

Toolkit: A new free carbon emissions calculator

A parallel is often drawn between sustainability reporting and financial reporting. Both are mandatory for Malaysian public-listed companies (PLCs) and must be published online annually. Yet, compared with financial reports, sustainability reports seem to engender less trust and the comparability...

Cover Story: How credible is sustainability reporting?

Concert tours generate a significant carbon footprint — from the travel of artistes and attendees to waste generated at venues and merchandise sales. Given the large audiences that popular concerts attract, these events also consume a lot of resources and energy.

After the crowd has lef...

Waste: Can concerts be green?

PUTRAJAYA (March 27): Datuk Abdul Razib Dawood, chief executive officer of the Energy Commission (ST), revealed that ST is currently in talks with the government to give condominium owners an exemption from having a distributor licence to install electric vehicle charging bays (EVCB).

Energy Commission to speed up EV charger licensing process

The Covid-19 pandemic and other geopolitical factors have caused disruptions in local, regional, national and global food supply chains, prompting us to focus on traditional farming systems. These are the products of ingenious combinations of knowledge, techniques and practices that contribute to...

Views: Preserving traditional farming in Malaysia

Hydrogen is touted as the next alternative green energy solution. There are several projects and plants being developed in Malaysia as envisioned in the Hydrogen Economy and Technology Roadmap, and even more are under development globally.

Exploring hydrogen as an energy source

In 2014, a live venomous viper, 12 toads and a variety of insects were found in a package with “happy birthday” markings during a routine check at a post office in Ipoh.

This story is a favourite for Renee Yee, who is TRAFFIC’s training and capacity building officer in Southeast Asia.

Biodiversity: TRAFFIC seeks to clamp down on illegal wildlife trade

Two years ago, Sime Darby Plantation Bhd (SDP) pledged to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. By now, one would have heard similar pledges from many corporates. But how can one know whether this is enough to halt climate change, and whether it can be achieved?

As scrutiny on clai...

Q&A: Why Sime Darby Plantation had its climate targets validated

In the dynamic landscape of constant innovation and disruption, the maxim “women hold up half the sky” encapsulates the essence of diversity’s pivotal role in fostering innovation and driving success.

While companies may boast diverse workforces, it is the strategic harnessing of this d...

Views: Unleashing DEI: A catalyst in transforming Malaysian businesses

In a society that views differently abled individuals through a lens of pity or sympathy, the potential of such individuals to actively contribute to the workforce is often overlooked.

According to a study by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM), 58% of persons with disabilities...

Cover Story: Enabling the differently abled

Tesla Inc is set to clear a key hurdle to introduce its advanced assisted driving features in China by partnering with Baidu Inc in mapping and navigation functions, people familiar with the matter said.

Tesla clears key China assisted-driving hurdle with Baidu deal

Three people, including a two-year old boy, died after a Huawei-backed Aito M7 SUV burst into flames following a crash with a truck on a highway in the Chinese city of Yuncheng in the northern province of Shanxi, state media said.

China crash involving Huawei-backed Aito electric vehicle kills three

Shares of YNH Property Bhd surged to their highest in three weeks as investors breathed a sigh of relief after the real estate developer said it has remedied the technical default of its sukuk programme.

YNH Property hits three-week high after default remedy

Foreign direct investment into Indonesia rose 15.5% on a yearly basis in rupiah terms to 204.4 trillion rupiah (RM60 billion) in the first quarter, investment ministry data showed on Monday, up significantly from the 5.3% growth in the previous quarter.

Indonesia's 1Q FDI up 15.5% on yearly basis

Chicago wheat futures fell on Monday but remained near four-month highs after concerns that adverse weather conditions in Russia, Europe and the US could reduce supply pushed prices up around 10% last week.

Wheat slips from four-month high as adverse weather threatens supply

QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd is suspending over 100 KFC outlets temporarily nationwide after about half a year of boycott movement, Nanyang Siang Pau reported, citing information from Google Maps.

Boycott causes over 100 KFC outlets to suspend ops, report says

Shares of Turiya Bhd rallied on Monday to their highest in over three years after Tan Sri Mohan MK Swami and his partner agreed to acquire a 58% stake in the property management firm for RM52.86 million.

Turiya rallies to over three-year high with entry of Mohan Swami, partner

Gadang Holdings Bhd recently announced that the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) had rejected its application to waive the 30% bumiputera equity requirement for its acquisition of 21.08 acres of land in Kwasa Damansara for RM114.78 million.

Frankly Speaking: When to set aside bumi equity rule

Engineering solutions provider Kawan Renergy Bhd on Monday began taking orders from investors for its ACE Market initial public offering (IPO) that would raise up to RM33 million.

Kawan Renergy sets IPO price at 30 sen apiece in bid to raise RM33m 

Malakoff Corp Bhd has inked a partnership with China Northeast Electric Power Engineering & Services Co Ltd (NEPCS) for technical manpower supply for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of combined cycle power plant (CCPP) projects under NEPCS in Bangladesh.

Malakoff inks deal to expand operation and maintenance services to Bangladesh

Berjaya Corp Bhd (BCorp), which last week denied that its founder Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun had participated in talks to revive a US$100 billion (RM477.60 billion) Forest City casino resort as reported recently, has lodged reports for the police to commence investigation into the above matter, specifically to, amongst others, ascertain and find out the purported “unnamed source” who disseminated complete untrue and false statements.

Berjaya Corp lodges police report to identify 'unnamed source' in Forest City casino resort debacle

KUALA LUMPUR (April 29): Mercury Securities Sdn Bhd has recommended investors “subscribe” ACE Market-bound Farm Price Holdings Bhd at an initial public offering (IPO) price of 24 sen and a fair value (FV) of 29 sen based on 13x FY2024F earnings per share, translating to 21% upside to IPO price.</...

Mercury Securities advises investors to subscribe ACE Market-bound Farm Price with fair value of 29 sen 

Shares of YNH Property Bhd surged to their highest in three weeks as investors breathed a sigh of relief after the real estate developer said it has remedied the technical default of its sukuk programme.

QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd is suspending over 100 KFC outlets temporarily nationwide after about half a year of boycott movement, Nanyang Siang Pau reported, citing information from Google Maps.

KOTA BHARU (April 28): Oil and gas exploration and production outfit Hibiscus Petroleum Bhd is looking to leverage the economic boom in the Tok Bali area (in Kelantan), by using it as one of its operating hubs.&nbsp;

Hibiscus Petroleum looking to leverage the economic boom in Tok Bali

When South Korea decided to host a US anti-ballistic missile system, the lucrative flow of tourists from neighboring China suddenly dried up. When Australia accused Beijing of meddling in its domestic politics and demanded answers over the origins of Covid-19, China stopped buying exports like coal, wine and beef.

US ramps up help as countries plan response to China’s bullying

An appliance maker in southern China is finding it hard to ship its products to Russia, not because of any problems with the gadgets but because China's big banks are throttling payments for such transactions out of concern over US sanctions.

China firms go 'underground' on Russia payments as banks pull back

Real estate developer UOA Development Bhd said it plans to launch two new projects worth an estimated RM2.7 billion in gross development value (GDV) this year.

UOA Development to launch two projects worth RM2.7b by June

TotalEnergies, a global energy supplier based in France, has stated its commitment to increasing its investment in Malaysia’s upstream oil and gas (O&amp;G) sector, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

TotalEnergies has stated commitment to boost investment in Malaysia's upstream O&G sector — Anwar

Top Glove Corporation Bhd bagged the Platinum Trusted Brand Award in the Hygiene/Disposable Gloves category at the Reader’s Digest Malaysian Trusted Brand 2024 awards.

Agrobank’s Tengku Ahmad re-elected as Türkiye-based Islamic bank association’s vice-chairman

The Japanese yen hit its weakest levels since April 1990 on Monday, in trading thinned by a holiday in Japan and attempts by traders to test key levels and stop-loss orders in a nervous, illiquid market.

Yen trips past 160-per-dollar to April 1990 lows

KUALA LUMPUR (April 28): Malaysia believes there is a need to revisit commitments to sustainable development, efficient global resources and fair and balanced trade among countries, said the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti).

Zafrul: Trade-related and ESG measures must be fair to developing countries

Shares of Turiya Bhd rallied on Monday to their highest in over three years after Tan Sri Mohan MK Swami and his partner agreed to acquire a 58% stake in the property management firm for RM52.86 million.

After eight consecutive weeks of net selling, foreign investors shifted to become net buyers on Bursa Malaysia last week, with a total investment of RM292.2 million.

MIDF: Foreign investors ended eight weeks of selling with total inflow of RM292m last week

RIYADH (April 28): The Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council (Asean-GCC) should find mechanisms to advance trade, investments, collaboration and research, said Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council should find mechanisms to advance trade, investment — Anwar

Singapore Telecommunications on Monday forecast non-cash impairment provisions of S$3.1 billion (RM10.8 billion) for second-half of 2024 which would lead to the telecom giant reporting a net loss for the period.

Singtel sees US$2.3b impairment hit, net loss in 2H2024

Once renowned as avid overseas tourists, the Japanese are staying closer to home these days.

Weaker yen keeps Japanese tourists at home while visitors throng

Engineering solutions provider Kawan Renergy Bhd on Monday began taking orders from investors for its ACE Market initial public offering (IPO) that would raise up to RM33 million.

L’Occitane International SA’s billionaire owner Reinold Geiger is close to making an offer to take the skin-care company private, according to people familiar with the matter, in a deal that could value the firm at about US$7 billion (RM33.4 billion) including debt.

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