Recently, 6 Malaysian youths from various races in East and West Malaysia filed a judicial review application at the Kuala Lumpur High Court against the minister of natural resources and environmental sustainability and the Government of Malaysia, challenging the government's failure to uphold Malaysia's longstanding pledge to maintain at least 50% forest cover. A commissioned expert report found that forests already earmarked for commercial conversion across Malaysia total between 4.27 and 4.51 mln hectares, an area comparable in size to Switzerland, would reduce forest cover to between 47.4% and 49.6%, breaching the 50% threshold.

The applicants argue that unchecked deforestation violates Article 5(1) of the Federal Constitution (right to life), Article 8(1) (right to equality), the doctrine of Legitimate Expectation, and the Public Trust Doctrine. They represent a generation that will spend the rest of their lives living with the consequences of deforestation, which include frequent floods, heatwaves, biodiversity collapse, as well as food and water insecurity. 

The suit, although believed to be the first of its kind in both Malaysia and ASEAN, has received little attention in the media. Unfortunately, most people still do not take climate change seriously. By writing constantly on climate change-related topics, i Capital is doing what it can to raise awareness on this super important issue. Bravo to the 6 Malaysian youths.