University of Reading legal expert Prof Dr Andrew Harding (right) speaking during a roundtable discussion at the Asia Centre Media Hub in Iskandar Puteri. With him are (from left) Shakila, Wan Noor Khuzairey and Seng. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
CLIMATE disinformation is increasingly being used to justify environmentally harmful projects and the exploitation of Malaysia’s indigenous peoples, warn experts and activists.
Asia Centre regional director Dr James Gomez said initial findings from ongoing research into challenges faced by indigenous communities in Asia reveal this troubling trend.
“One clear example is how destructive developments, such as mega-dam projects that replace natural forests, are often promoted to the public as environmentally friendly.
“This is one of the examples we have found through our research in Malaysia,” he told an audience at the Asia Centre Media Hub in Iskandar Puteri, Johor.
The session, titled “Climate Disinformation in Malaysia: Appropriating Indigenous Peoples’ Entitlements”, was attended by about 30 people, including academics, activists and civil society groups here.
Gomez said the Malaysian study was part of a wider regional research series across Asia examining how misleading narratives distort public understanding of climate issues, undermine indigenous rights and skew policy debates.
“The findings will be disseminated through reports, media coverage and policy discussions to strengthen public understanding of climate disinformation,” he said.
He added that the series already looked into climate disinformation in Cambodia, Thailand and India.
Gomez says there is a Malaysian study that examines how misleading narratives distort public understanding of climate issues.
“Apart from the report in Malaysia, which is expected to be published this month, we also have similar studies coming from the Philippines and Indonesia,” he said.
Gomez said the panel discussion served to gather deeper insights, particularly on how climate disinformation was affecting indigenous communities.
Panellist Universitas Indonesia researcher Wan Noor Khuzairey Wan Mohtar said land grabbing and development projects were often marketed as modernisation.
“It erases the history of the indigenous community, their collective identity and cultural continuity.
“Greenwashing and misleading narratives obscure the social and environmental costs.
“These impacts are rarely reflected in public discourse or media coverage,” he said.
Rhema City Church executive pastor Rhema Seng drew attention to the real-life social and economic costs on indigenous communities in Johor.
“Some villages have seen livelihoods collapse after being relocated or impacted by landfilling activities, yet their struggles rarely gain attention,” she said.
Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam (Kuasa) environmental activist Shakila Zen highlighted that these communities were often not included in discussions, including those involving developments on their own lands.
“They then have to accept whatever decisions are made on their behalf and live with the consequences,” she said.
