(From left) Treasury secretary-general and KWAP chairman Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican, Datuk Nik Amlizan, Datuk Shah Redza, and Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry deputy secretary general (Environmental Sustainability) Datuk Nor Yahati Awang at the official MoU signing ceremony.—LOW BOON TAT/The Star.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Retirement Fund Inc (KWAP) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) yesterday with the Malaysia Forest Fund (MFF) aimed at advancing Malaysia’s sustainability agenda through forest-based solutions.
The partnership is a step in supporting Malaysia’s transition to a net-zero economy and reinforces KWAP’s commitment to achieve Net Zero Portfolio by 2050, a key element of its broader environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy.
The signing ceremony, held in conjunction with the KWAP Inspire Satellite 2025 event and witnessed by Secretary General of the Treasury and KWAP’s chairman Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican, marks the beginning of a collaboration to advance forest conservation and nature-based solutions (NBS).
This MoU also supports the development of credible and scalable national carbon credits to help KWAP’s investee companies meet their decarbonisation goals.
KWAP chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Nik Amlizan Mohamed said, “The collaboration with MFF will be a game-changer for both KWAP and Malaysia’s broader sustainability efforts.
“As a responsible institutional investor, KWAP is committed to driving stewardship through impactful actions and pursuing purpose beyond returns.
“By contributing to the development of a credible, nationally anchored carbon ecosystem, we aim to empower our investee companies with the tools they need to meet their net-zero commitment while also making significant contributions to Malaysia’s climate and biodiversity goals.”
The MoU features the Forest Conservation Certificate (FCC) to support domestic conservation initiatives, focusing on preserving Malaysia’s vital biodiversity and ecosystems.
MFF will also oversee development of the Forest Carbon Offset (FCO), a market-based mechanism that allows companies to offset their emissions through investments in forest conservation projects that reduce, remove and avoid carbon emissions.
Through this MoU, KWAP has become a participant in the National Forest Carbon Offset (FCO) technical working group (TWG), established by MFF.
The group aims to ensure the needs of institutional investors – including the nuances of ESG investing, are integrated into the framework, where relevant.
This participation will also help align FCO standards with international carbon market requirements and best practices.
These initiatives, aligned with Malaysia’s National Climate Change Policy 2.0, aim to drive knowledge-sharing and capacity-building efforts to enhance participants’ skills in forest management and carbon offsetting.
This includes supporting the achievement of targets such as a 45% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030 and Net Zero GHG Emissions by 2050, as well as Malaysia’s commitment to maintaining at least 50% forest and tree cover.
MFF CEO Datuk Shah Redza Hussein said, “This collaboration with KWAP is a pivotal step in our mission to strengthen Malaysia’s carbon market, achieving the nation’s sustainability targets and accelerating meaningful climate action.
“By leveraging nature-based solutions, particularly through the Forest Conservation Certificate and the upcoming Forest Carbon Offset, we are creating a pathway for businesses towards achieving net-zero goals while supporting forest conservation, aligning with national climate commitments.
“Our work with KWAP and other stakeholders will drive long-term environmental and economic benefits, not only for Malaysia but for the global community as we strive towards a greener and more resilient future.”
The collaboration puts KWAP as a sustainability thought leader, enhancing its reputation in the financial sector while contributing valuable insights to both domestic and international markets.
By exploring potential integration of nature-based solutions into its ESG investment and non-investment strategies, KWAP reinforces its role in advancing Malaysia’s decarbonisation agenda and setting a strong example for other institutional investors.
KWAP and MFF will continue to explore opportunities to enhance the Forest Carbon Offset system and other potential nature-based solutions initiatives, ensuring they become key drivers for sustainable development in Malaysia.
The partnership will also support ongoing efforts to build local capacity for biodiversity and forestry management, ensuring that the benefits of the projects reach the communities directly involved.
KWAP also build on its MFF collaboration by engaging with interested parties to drive collective action, with the hopes of exploring potential collaborations with fellow GLICs and relevant organisations, in line with the Ministry of Finance’s Government-linked Enterprise Activation and Reform Programme (GEAR-uP) initiative, aimed at synergising efforts across Government-linked Entities for national impact.
This collaboration represents a critical next step in KWAP’s broader commitment to empowering partnerships that drive collective action for sustainability, as outlined in its Sustainability Pledge 2, “Empower Partnerships for Collective Action.”
By joining forces with MFF and other stakeholders, KWAP helps preserve Malaysia’s forests and the communities that depend on them for future generations.
