AGP Executive Report

Transboundary Haze Crisis: Indonesia warned it will take legal action against anyone starting open fires as wildfire smoke from Borneo and Kalimantan pushes into Malaysia, worsening air quality and disrupting daily life. Sarawak Health & School Disruptions: In Sarawak, the Air Pollution Index hit “very unhealthy” levels (Serian 227), prompting the closure of nearly 600 schools and affecting about 200,000 students. Air Quality Monitoring: DOE reported more unhealthy readings across Sarawak as hotspots were detected across Kalimantan and Sumatra, with moderate to dense smoke plumes moving into western Sarawak. Dengue Alert: Malaysia’s health ministry flagged a high dengue risk as cases surged in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley, with 58,079 cases since early August and rising numbers also in Perlis and Johor. Biodiversity Spotlight: Malaysia’s Pulau Banding biodiversity drive recorded 1,470 species and earned ASEAN/Asia recognition, while Penang National Park conservation efforts were highlighted as needing stronger community involvement. EV Policy Debate: Penang’s chief minister urged the federal government to avoid protectionism in CBU EV policy to protect investor confidence while still pushing for local supply-chain participation. National Planning Update: Selangor will review and enhance its RS-2 economic plan (2026–2030) within two years to better match ground needs, financing, and monitoring.

Transboundary Haze Watch: Sarawak’s air worsened as DOE reported six areas hitting unhealthy API readings by 1pm, with Serian topping at 193 and hotspots linked to smoke plumes from Kalimantan. Biodiversity in Plantations: MPOGCF and UNIMAS will use bats as bioindicators in a two-year study across forest–oil palm interfaces in Miri, Sarawak, aiming to track wildlife diversity and habitat condition through 2027. Climate Tech Focus: A new look at carbon capture and storage highlights how CO2 pipelines are the key link for moving captured emissions to permanent underground sites. Sustainability in Healthcare: Hospital Bukit Mertajam was named among the world’s top 250 greenest hospitals in 2026, reinforcing Malaysia’s push for climate-friendly healthcare practices. Palm Oil & Wildlife: A separate report asks whether palm oil and primates can truly coexist, spotlighting the conservation challenge. Natural Disaster Risk: MetMalaysia warns of a high chance of “super El Niño” later in 2026, raising stakes for extreme weather planning across the region.

Transboundary Haze & Air Quality: Malaysia’s Department of Environment reported six Sarawak areas hit unhealthy Air Pollutant Index readings by 1pm, with Serian worst at 193 and Kuching at 190, as smoke plumes moved northwards from West Kalimantan amid dry conditions and 489 hotspots detected in Kalimantan. Biodiversity in Oil Palm Landscapes: A two-year UNIMAS-led study will use bats as bioindicators to track wildlife diversity across forest–oil palm interfaces in six Sarawak plantations, aiming to guide better conservation outcomes for the palm sector. Super El Niño Heat Risks for Outdoor Workers: Malaysia is bracing for record-high temperatures tied to a stronger El Niño, but outdoor workers say heat impacts haven’t clearly changed—raising concerns about protection as heat stress grows. Digital Commerce & Fair Market Rules: The government urged online platforms to fully comply with the Risk Mitigation Code under the Online Safety Act 2025, including advertiser verification to curb fraud, while MITI will review new investment applicants that use warehouses or transit without real employment or economic benefits. Cyber Resilience Push: CyberDSA 2026 returns to Kuala Lumpur (5–7 Oct) as Malaysia’s oil & gas, banks, telecoms and airlines treat cybersecurity as operational defence amid AI and cloud adoption. Clean Energy & Data Centres: Johor’s AI/data-centre push continues with YTL Power and JLand Group planning a gigawatt-scale campus in Sedenak Tech Park West, adding to existing green data centre capacity in Kulai. Palm Oil & Primates: Conservationists warn that palm expansion fragments habitats, but some plantation biodiversity programmes are trying to make working landscapes part of the solution.

Climate & Disaster Watch: MetMalaysia warns Malaysia has a 90%+ chance of a “super El Niño” by late 2026, with hot, dry conditions and prolonged low rainfall likely to reshape extreme weather across parts of southern Southeast Asia. Air Quality & Haze: Indonesia’s wildfires are intensifying and haze is spreading into Malaysia, adding pressure on regional monitoring and public health preparedness. Food Security & Imports: KPKM says Malaysia is pushing to cut reliance on imported farm inputs to protect the food supply chain from geopolitical shocks, using poultry as a key example of “stable supply, imported dependencies.” Energy & Environment: A data-centre boom is driving new climate and fire risks, while Malaysia is also moving toward renewable energy growth and mapping renewable power by state. Governance & Rights: Peka urges Pahang to do a full census and mapping of Orang Asli settlements, warning current figures may miss unregistered communities. Wildlife & Enforcement: Police raided a Puchong premise over subsidised diesel misappropriation, seizing about 51,900 litres—showing how enforcement actions can intersect with broader environmental and resource concerns. Tourism & Sustainability: PATA’s Travel Mart in Kuching highlights sustainability-focused tourism awards and new leadership, with Sarawak and other regional projects recognised.

Defence & Security: Malaysia’s defence minister warned that US-China rivalry is raising the risk of “miscalculation” near Sabah as military activity intensifies in nearby waters, prompting calls for higher spending. Budget 2027: The government’s Budget 2027 roadmap flags cost-of-living relief, stronger social protection, better public services, and investment-led growth focused on high-value jobs, skills, and energy/food/climate resilience. Regional Trade: MATRADE is pushing RM100m in potential exports via a Cambodia mission, while Malaysia and Cambodia highlighted rising bilateral trade momentum. Digital Learning & Culture: A Kearney survey says 80% of Malaysian TikTok users turn to the platform for learning, self-improvement, and culture. Haze & Air Quality: Reports say Indonesia’s wildfires are worsening haze and spreading into Malaysia, with monitoring stations showing unhealthy-to-moderate air levels. Conservation & Forests: A new study points to large intact forest areas inside concessions across Malaysia and neighbours, arguing carbon markets alone won’t be enough to stop deforestation. Circular Economy: NEA says construction and demolition waste must be processed and sorted locally for recycling, and warns against improper cross-border disposal. Health & Prevention: Malaysia expands kidney screening access under a public initiative aimed at earlier detection and better outcomes.

El Niño Watch: MetMalaysia says the odds of a “Super El Niño” in Oct–Dec have climbed above 90%, with sea temperatures running over 1.8°C above average—raising the stakes for heat and drought planning. Circular Economy Push: Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming says Malaysia will learn from Japan’s waste separation at source, with a proposed MoU to share recycling know-how and modernise waste management. Plastic Pollution Spillover: Reports from Cyprus show synthetic plastic waste washing ashore from Turkey’s recycling supply chain, highlighting cross-border environmental liability risks. Dengue Control Reminder: Hawaiʻi DOH flagged another travel-related dengue case and urged residents to remove standing water, especially with flooding and forecast rain. Health + Sustainability in Focus: Bukit Mertajam Hospital was named among the world’s top 250 “Green Hospitals” for climate-friendly healthcare and environmental sustainability. Waste Crime Alert (Regional): Singapore’s NEA says construction and demolition waste cannot be exported for disposal, after allegations of dumping in Pontian, Johor. Electric Fire Prevention: Allianz General urges annual wiring checks and safer electrical practices as electrical fires remain a major cause of home fires. Biodiversity Protection Angle: MyIPO stresses a transparent patent system to protect Malaysia’s genetic resources and traditional knowledge from improper exploitation. Sustainable Tourism Awards: PATA named Bhutan’s Lizam Dorji “Face of the Future,” with Sarawak hosting the chapter and student sustainability winners.

Biodiversity & Rights: MyIPO says Malaysia’s rich genetic resources and traditional knowledge need a transparent, robust patent system, including proper disclosure of origin and Orang Asal communities, to prevent inappropriate grants and exploitation. Aquaculture Modernisation: The Fisheries Department backs a Klang tilapia project using ARC Berkat biofloc tech, aiming to boost sustainable production and income for thousands of farmers. Data Centres & AI Governance: Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang urges Malaysia to move beyond AI adoption toward responsible, trust-based innovation, warning that data-centre growth must be sustainable for energy and water use. Haze Fight: Malaysia and Indonesia pledge tighter transboundary haze cooperation—hotspot monitoring, stronger anti-open-burning enforcement, and possible cross-border cloud seeding—as “super El Niño” looms. Green Healthcare: Bukit Mertajam Hospital is recognised as a Green Hospital in a global ranking, highlighting climate-friendly sustainability in healthcare. Capital Markets for Resilience: Bursa Malaysia CEO Fad’l Mohamed pushes for wealth creation and asset ownership, linking capital markets to intergenerational financial resilience. Urban Mobility: MRT Corp appoints Wan Ahmad Dahlan as chairman as it drives RTS Link and Penang LRT Mutiara Line delivery.

Transboundary Waste Crackdown: Singapore has halted exports of construction and demolition waste to Malaysia after allegations of illegal dumping in Pontian, Johor, prompting investigations into nine firms and a reminder that disposal must be at authorised sites. Invasive Species Control: Sarawak officials in Miri captured 49 invasive iguanas in three operations after parkgoers raised alarms, aiming to protect local ecosystems from breeding and spread. Data Centres, Water & Power: Malaysia’s palm oil board is pushing Sawit EcoTherm, a palm-derived immersion coolant for AI data centres, targeting big cuts in cooling energy and easing water demand. Air Quality Watch: DOE reported unhealthy haze impacts in East Malaysia, with multiple hotspots as transboundary haze worsens air quality. Policy & Transparency: Civil society groups urged Parliament to reform Malaysia’s Freedom of Information Bill 2026, saying it is among the weakest in the world and needs stronger alignment with rights standards. Solar Growth: Malaysia’s solar market is projected to hit about MYR 5.04 billion in 2026 as LSS6 accelerates solar-plus-storage and private investment.

Transboundary Haze: Malaysia’s air quality is under pressure as haze plumes from Kalimantan push API readings into the danger zone, with DOE warning of unhealthy conditions across parts of East Malaysia. Construction Costs: Works minister Alexander Nanta Linggi says material cost increases are manageable, but MBAM and PKBM counter that site-level diesel and bitumen price jumps are hitting contractors harder than national averages show. Solar & Storage: Malaysia’s solar market is projected to reach about MYR 5.04 billion in 2026, with LSS6 accelerating “solar plus storage” and data-centre demand. Aviation Safety: MASSA welcomes CAAM’s fitness-for-duty and anti-alcohol/drug measures, stressing they must be backed by ongoing education and a strong safety culture. STEM for Sustainability: Samsung Malaysia’s Solve for Tomorrow 2026 names Top 10 semi-finalist teams, including environmental sustainability ideas, moving them toward prototypes and prizes. Customs Digital Help: Malaysia’s Customs rolls out a KIRA chatbot and live chat on its portal, aiming to speed up public enquiries on duties and restricted goods. Rohingya Repatriation: Myanmar verifies nearly 309,000 Rohingya in Bangladesh as former Rakhine residents, but returns remain stalled pending security improvements.

Transboundary Haze & El Niño Preparedness: Malaysia’s NRES plans to push an official letter to ASEAN urging stronger readiness as El Niño intensifies, with Alert Level 2 already activated and daily reporting required; Air Quality Watch in Sarawak: DOE reported three Sarawak areas with unhealthy API readings as of 11am, led by Serian (162), as haze smoke from Kalimantan continues to drift in; School Operations Amid Haze: Sarawak’s Serian PPD said primary and secondary schools will operate as usual, but must follow MOE haze and hot-weather safety circulars and monitor air quality via APIMS; Wildlife & Misinformation Risk: Conservationists warned that viral AI-generated wildlife images can mislead the public and even encourage unsafe animal interactions; Illegal Wildlife Trade Probe: Panama seized a container of 109 sacks of shark fins declared as “fish swim bladder,” with taxonomic checks to see if CITES-listed species are involved; Student Safety Policy: MOE said it is strengthening student protection across all 10,258 schools due to frequent injury reports, including cases of fatalities.

Transboundary Haze Watch (Sarawak): Malaysia’s Department of Environment reported worsening air quality, with three Sarawak areas hitting unhealthy Air Pollutant Index readings as of 11am—Serian IPD led at 162, followed by Samarahan (155) and Kuching (132)—while 65 areas stayed moderate; the DOE linked the haze to smoke drifting in from Kalimantan and Sumatra, and said enforcement and daily patrols against open burning have been stepped up. Health Monitoring (MOH): The Health Ministry said there’s been no significant rise yet in haze-related illnesses (URTI, asthma, conjunctivitis) across sentinel clinics, but warned cases could increase if haze persists, with children, the elderly and people with chronic conditions flagged as higher risk. Cross-border Fire Response (Indonesia): Indonesia’s Manggala Agni intensified monitoring of forest-fire smoke along the West Kalimantan border, using wind tracking, sensors and satellite tools, and said data-sharing with Malaysian authorities is key for early warning and joint response. Nature & Safety (Sarawak wildlife attack): A deadly crocodile attack in Miri’s Batu Niah district killed an elderly woman while she was collecting river snails, underscoring risks for river communities during routine activities. Energy Efficiency Push: Malaysia targets 21 billion USD in utility cost savings by 2035 under NEEAP 2.0, aiming to cut energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions while supporting industry, buildings and households. Digital Infrastructure & Data Centres (Johor): STT GDC secured up to $1.37bn in green financing for the STT Johor datacentre campus, positioning it for growing cloud and AI workloads while tying funding to sustainability requirements. Semiconductor Ambition (Penang): Penang’s draft structure plan 2040 aims to move up the value chain toward chip design and prototype work, targeting a semiconductor design hub role by 2040.

Transboundary Haze: Sarawak is pushing to keep the transboundary haze issue on ASEAN’s agenda, with the state ready to raise concerns through the Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee and assessing cloud seeding timing as smoke patterns threaten nearby areas. Air Quality Watch: Malaysia’s Department of Environment detected seven hotspots in East Malaysia (five in Sarawak, two in Sabah) as haze worsened, with multiple Sarawak districts recording unhealthy Air Pollutant Index readings. Health Monitoring: The Health Ministry says there’s been no significant rise yet in haze-related illnesses (URTI, asthma, conjunctivitis), but warns cases could increase if air quality deteriorates, especially for children, the elderly and people with chronic conditions. Green Data Centres: STT GDC secured up to US$1.37bn in green financing for its Johor datacentre campus, highlighting sustainability-linked funding as IT load demand grows. Wildlife Protection: Calls continue to address illegal wildlife handling after a Lar Gibbon video sparked scrutiny and investigation into endangered species trafficking routes.

Haze Watch: Malaysia’s air is turning unhealthy again, with seven hotspots reported (five in Sarawak, two in Sabah) and nine Sarawak areas recording unhealthy API readings as haze drifts in from Kalimantan and local smoke plumes; the Health Ministry says no major rise in haze-related illnesses yet, but warns cases could climb if conditions worsen. Data Centres & Water Use: MPOB is nearing the finish line on a palm oil-based immersion cooling fluid, Sawit EcoTherm, aiming to cut water and energy demand for data centres—an effort that comes as Malaysia’s data-centre boom raises environmental and resource-use questions. Wildlife & Biodiversity: A Pasir Panjang Forest Reserve expedition in Negeri Sembilan logged new records, including multiple dragonfly and fruit fly species, plus sightings of threatened fauna like the endangered spiny hill turtle. Trade Compliance: Port Klang Free Zone rejects claims that Chinese-linked businesses or cargo automatically prove tariff evasion, stressing regulated screening and origin certification handled by national authorities. Regional Environment Cooperation: ASEAN’s net-zero push is highlighted as crucial for global climate goals, but the region’s fossil fuel dependence means policy reform and investment support are key to a workable transition.

Air Quality & Haze: Malaysia is back under haze, with 12 monitoring stations recording unhealthy or worse Air Pollutant Index readings on Aug 12, including Sarawak hitting very unhealthy levels; Putrajaya and Cheras also saw unhealthy air as fires in Indonesian Borneo continue. Biodiversity in Focus: A Pasir Panjang Forest Reserve expedition in Negeri Sembilan logged new records—four dragonfly species and eight fruit fly species for the first time in the state—along with endemic plants and threatened wildlife like the endangered spiny hill turtle. Data Centres & Water Use: Malaysia is nearing development of a palm oil-based immersion cooling fluid, “Sawit EcoTherm,” aiming to cut data-centre water and energy demand. Cross-Border Waste Concern: Singapore’s NEA says it has reached out to Malaysian authorities after reports alleged Singapore construction waste was disposed of in Pontian, Johor, raising Basel Convention compliance questions. Regenerative Medicine Push (Sarawak): Sarawak plans a RM50m Sarawak Regenerative BioFoundry to build a regenerative medicine ecosystem, including cell and gene therapy work. Conservation Alert (Perak): NGOs urge Perak to protect Gunung Kanthan from quarrying, warning endemic species could be wiped out and geosite status jeopardised.

Economic Outlook: Bank Negara Malaysia says Malaysia’s GDP grew 6% in 2Q 2026, with growth likely around 5% for 2026 as exports, household spending and investment stay resilient despite Middle East risks. Urban Sustainability: Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming received a sustainable cities award, highlighting greener public spaces, smarter traffic systems and a push toward circular waste management. Biodiversity Under Threat: Environmental groups urged Perak to protect Gunung Kanthan’s limestone hills from quarrying, warning it could wipe out endemic species in the Kinta Valley National Geopark. Road Safety Data: Works Ministry says its RAMS system helped pinpoint 99 fatal “blackspots” on federal roads to target faster, data-led safety interventions. Health & Mosquitoes: Health authorities warned dengue and chikungunya risks are rising with hot weather and rainfall, urging the public to prevent mosquito breeding. Regional Haze Response: Indonesia says it’s using ASEAN transboundary haze mechanisms and enforcement measures to curb fires and smoke drifting across borders. Food Systems: CSIR-STEPRI recommends investing in food-chain infrastructure like transport, storage and processing to improve access to nutritious food.

Transboundary Haze: Indonesia’s wildfire season, worsened by El Niño, is pushing “very unhealthy” air into Sarawak, forcing six schools to switch to online classes as API readings top 200 near the border. Wildlife Enforcement: PERHILITAN and police arrested three men and seized six protected birds worth about RM33,000 in Cheras and Selangor during a wildlife crime operation. Data Centres & Energy: STT GDC secured up to US$1.37b in green financing for its Johor campus, while Malaysia is also exploring palm-oil-based cooling fluids as water demand rises. Governance & Public Trust: A RCI TH expert says implementation should go beyond timelines with clear performance indicators and regular progress updates to prevent depositor panic. Housing Affordability: Rehda Institute backs shifting from a one-size RM300,000 cap toward income-based, location-specific benchmarks that reflect real delivery costs. Regional Cooperation: Malaysia and Russia agreed to finalise a 2027 joint action plan by year-end, including scholarships and youth programmes. Budget 2027: KKR is seeking a higher allocation, arguing people’s needs must stay a priority even under tight spending.