Multi-stakeholder Workshop for a Review of the National Climate Change Policy

A review of the 2009 National Climate Change Policy is desperately needed. It is good that a capable think tank like the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) was appointed as the Ministry's consultant to spearhead this endeavour.

Sadly, however, the Ministry's process of stakeholder engagement was still familiarly disingenuous. We, the stakeholders, were not sent the materials that would form the basis of our discussion before hand. These were only shown via brief slides on the stage on the day itself. While many important stakeholders from the public, private and third sector were invited, and the leaders of these organisations took the time to attend the workshop in person (reflecting the seriousness we place on it), it was a shame that there was no serious intent to engage meaningfully or to have in-depth discussions on complex topics like developing a legal and policy framework on climate financing.

I trust ISIS has done its best in its consultant role. What is glaringly absent is leadership on the part of the Ministry and the Government of Malaysia.