New business-human rights plan paves way for corporate manslaughter, anti-SLAPP laws
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said implementation of the plan would be phased, with potential future reforms including a Corporate Manslaughter Act, anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) legislation, and supply chain due diligence laws.
"This milestone reflects our firm commitment to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and comes at a historic moment as Malaysia assumes the chairmanship of Asean," she said in her speech at the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) today.
Also present were her deputy M. Kulasegaran, Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hishamudin Md Yunus, and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Malaysia resident representative Edward Vrkić.
"The success of this plan demands more than government effort, it requires shared ownership.
"Businesses must measure success not only by profits, but by ethical conduct, sustainability, and respect for human rights," Azalina said.
She said the Legal Affairs Division had led the initiative since Cabinet approval in 2019, engaging ministries, civil society, Indigenous communities, unions, and the private sector.
The plan is anchored on three pillars, namely, labour, environment and governance, while tackling issues from forced labour and unsafe work to environmental accountability and regulatory reform.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Build liveable and ‘lovable' cities, says Nga
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia must build cities that are not only liveable but 'lovable' by embedding sustainability and inclusivity into every facet of urban development, said UN-Habitat Assembly President and Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming. In his special keynote address at the Asean Sustainable Urbanisation Forum (ASUF), Asean Governors and Mayors Forum (AGMF) and Meeting of Governors and Mayors of Asean Capitals (MGMAC) yesterday, Nga outlined three core priorities for his ministry – housing, public infrastructure and waste management. He said Malaysia has already achieved 98.4% of its 500,000 affordable homes target under the 12th Malaysia Plan, delivering 492,000 units. The rebranded People's Residency Programme will incorporate sustainable features such as rainwater harvesting, solar panels and urban farming spaces. Through Urbanice Malaysia, the ministry has also rolled out the community hub initiative, in which unused public housing spaces are converted into community facilities, while Think City's Kita Untuk Kita programme offers grants for the urban poor to improve and personalise their living environments. On climate action, Nga said Malaysia is seeking US$20 million (RM84.6 million) from the Global Climate Adaptation Fund to implement nature-based solutions in the city alongside efforts to build 100 Madani parks each year. Last year, the target exceeded with 109 parks and 115 million trees planted under the Malaysian National Greenery Programme. The number of trees planted surpassed the original five-year goal of 100 million. On waste management, Nga announced plans for 18 waste-to-energy plants across Peninsular Malaysia to help meet the national target of 70% renewable energy capacity by 2050. 'In 2023 alone, we spent more than RM2 billion on solid waste management, public cleaning, landfill operations and leachate treatment. 'By turning 'trash into cash' and 'waste into energy', we can manage waste sustainably while contributing to our renewable energy goals.' Nga said the initiatives fall under the Circular Economy Blueprint for Solid Waste 2025–2035, led by the newly formed National Circular Economy Council, which will also enforce the Extended Producer Responsibility Policy framework. Under the 13th Malaysia Plan, he said the ministry will expand the use of industrialised building systems and modular construction in public housing to reduce costs, noise pollution and waste. He said transit-oriented development will also be integrated into future housing projects to improve access to jobs and education through public transport. 'These measures will not only cut pollution and costs but pave the way for a greener, more resource-efficient Malaysia.' Nga urged Asean cities to align local policies with global frameworks such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, New Urban Agenda and the Asean Smart Cities Network. 'The path to a better future begins at the local level and extends to the global stage. Malaysia invites all Asean member states to walk this journey with us.' Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who delivered an opening address at the forum, said Asean's cities – which are home to more than 370 million people and generating 70% of the bloc's gross domestic product – must be 'living laboratories of sustainability and innovation', ensuring no one is left behind as urbanisation accelerates. 'Urbanisation must be a force for equality, not division,' he said, urging Asean cities to embed inclusivity, embrace digital transformation and scale up proven climate solutions.
Malaysiakini
an hour ago
- Malaysiakini
Azalina says govt considering a Corporate Manslaughter Act
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said has announced that the government will consider implementing a Corporate Manslaughter Act. This would be implemented under Malaysia's newly launched National Action Plan (NAP) for Businesses and Human Rights 20225-2030, she said.
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Govt considering ‘sovereign AI fund' to drive development
Authorities overseeing the development of artificial intelligence in the nation have proposed a 'sovereign AI fund' to finance the archipelago's ambitions to become a regional hub for the fast-growing technology, a government document showed. Last month, Reuters reported that South-East Asia's largest economy would release its first national roadmap on AI in a bid to attract foreign investment as it looks to join the global AI and chip-making race. The race has seen neighbouring Malaysia secure billions of dollars from global tech firms seeking to build critical infrastructure to meet growing demand for cloud and AI services. The Indonesia strategy, released in the form of a 179-page white paper seen by Reuters, recommends, among other things, a sovereign AI fund mainly handled by the country's new sovereign wealth fund Danantara Indonesia, which controls over US$900bil (RM3.8 trillion) in assets. The paper estimated a 2027 to 2029 timeline to set up the fund, and a public-private model to finance Indonesia's AI push. It also suggests increasing fiscal incentives for domestic investors in AI, without providing details. The strategy paper, which the communications and digital ministry said still awaits public feedback before the final draft, maps Indonesia's computational readiness for AI and makes recommendations for AI-related policy strategies until 2030. 'Indonesia right now is in the early stages of AI adoption,' the document reads. Industry players including Chinese giant Huawei and Indonesia's biggest technology company GoTo contributed to the report. An April report by the Boston Consulting Group said Asean nations were positioned for substantial AI-driven gains, with GDP contributions ranging from 2.3% to 3.1% by 2027, and Indonesia could see the highest impact in terms of absolute gross domestic output growth. Global tech companies including Nvidia and Microsoft have courted the AI drive. — Reuters
