Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof said the government must treat ESG as a national development strategy, not just a reporting requirement. Speaking at the MAPAN ESG 2026 summit, he linked ESG to the National Energy Transition Roadmap and the New Industrial Master Plan 2030. The goal is to attract quality investments, improve competitiveness, and cut carbon intensity while keeping the transition fair for small businesses. The speech emphasized that 97% of Malaysian businesses are MSMEs, so ESG adoption needs to be practical for them. The government is also working on the National Sustainability Reporting Framework to standardize disclosures and strengthen carbon markets. Fadillah said success should be measured by real action, not just policy announcements.
