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We are a non-governmental society that provides various services. **The British Malaya Society** is steeped in tradition, culture, and heritage and our multi-national team of experts from a diverse and wide background provide a wide range of services, whilst having a great deal of fun through events as well!

> The world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before. - Neil Gaiman

Though our primary purpose is now indeed policymaking specialising in energy, transport, security intelligence, and healthcare, we still hold our heritage with us, but now with a modern and international twist. Our members produce and host art exhibitions, various sports tournaments, the best in regional cuisines, local coffee roasteries, and national (and international) excursions. We have our fair share of artists and history experts to keep the conversations lively.

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Happy Earth Day! In chairing the first meeting of the Malaysian Climate Change Action Council (MyCAC) last week, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin outlined six approaches that will be implemented by the government to address climate change issues. From ensuring careful carbon trading activities to driving the use of low carbon transportation, we speak to Alizan Mahadi, Director, Technology, Innovation, Environment and Sustainability Division, at ISIS Malaysia to discuss where Malaysia stands right now and if our initiatives are enough to nudge Malaysia forward as a new green economy.

**1. Malaysia has a long road ahead**

Since the Green New Deal launched by former US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930’s during the Great Depression, it is no secret that the climate has deteriorated rapidly in recent years, resulting in staggering amounts spent on green infrastructure and initiatives. However, Malaysia still has quite a long way to go to match the leaders in this field, if Budget 2021 is anything to go on: less than 1% of its budget was allocated for the environment. 

**2. Money talks**

According to Alizan, the low return on investment for green infrastructure may be the reason for the deprioritisation of funds we’ve seen in the space. However, this is changing. With the impact of climate change becoming more apparent and an increasing environmental focus within leading economies like the US and the EU, there is hope that more countries like Malaysia will follow suit, hopefully in the near future.

**3. Are we on track?**

The Ministry stated that it will meet the country’s voluntary commitments under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is to achieve a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas emission intensity per unit of GDP by 2030. According to the latest report in 2016, Malaysia is on track at a 29% reduction. However, the UN Climate Conference 2021 (26th Conference of the Parties) which will be held at the end of this year is calling for stronger ambitions by all countries to accelerate progress. Looks like it’s time for us to revisit our goal.

**4. Renewable energy and conservation initiatives to accelerate progress**

There are two main strategies Alizan mentions that we could look at to further reduce emission intensity. These include essentially reducing our emissions through the use of renewable energy and increasing efficiencies of green energy, as well as increasing the number of carbon sinks through forest preservation, tree-planting initiatives, and conservation projects.

**5. Aggressive measures to decarbonise land transportation**

The low carbon mobility development plan for 2021 aims for greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced by 165 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. “At the current rate of 55 million tonnes of carbon emissions per year, we would need to reduce about 3 years’ worth of transportation emissions by 2021,” says Alizan.

Having said that, with constant concerted efforts from all stakeholders to increase the use of public transport, fuel-efficient vehicles, as well as consistent conservation initiatives, Alizan is optimistic that we can achieve that goal, despite these aggressive targets.

History has its eyes on us, as the nation and the world strives for a better world. Do you think Malaysia is ready for a green economy? Let us know your opinion in the comments this World Earth Day!

*Written by Charmaine Wong and edited by Lyn Mak.*

#### The British Malaya Society's take:

Malaysia is in a great position to take advantage of the decline of prices of green energy and electric vehicles, from public transport to personal vehicles, the prospect of a green future looks promising, something Malaysia could invest and lead the region in now. Though renewables and electric vehicle uptake has been slow, we expect this to ramp up as renewable energy and electric vehicle options, and pricing improve. The government must create an economy so that businesses and individuals can create a greener and healthier future for Malaysia.

Electric vehicles with a dirty grid. Though Alizan Mahadi has mentioned the lack of efficiency gained from a coal-intensive grid, running new electric vehicles are still more environmentally friendly than fossil powered alternatives, according to a [study done by the Universities of Cambridge, Exeter and Nijmegen](https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/electric-cars-better-for-climate-in-95-of-the-world).


Written by: BFM Morning Run Team

Is Malaysia Ready for the Green Agenda? We Hope So, Too.

#### Gerrymandering in Malaysia

Those engaged in gerrymandering rely heavily on winner-take-all voting rules. That is, when 51% of voters earn 100% of representation, those drawing districts can pack, stack and crack the population in order to make some votes count to their full potential and waste other votes. Gerrymandering has become easier today due to a combination of new technology to precisely draw districts and greater voter partisan rigidity that makes it easier to project the outcome of new districts.

Some may think this is not a Malaysian issue, however gerrymandering is alive and well in Malaysia. In Malaysia’s last general election in 2013, Prime Minister Najib Razak’s party lost the parliamentary constituency of Lembah Pantai by a slim margin of 1,847 votes. In 2018, less than six weeks ahead of the voting on Wednesday, the entire national police headquarters with around 6,000 voting officers was moved into this key marginal seat in Kuala Lumpur. Most are expected to vote for the ruling party.

Gerrymandering by the government to increase its chances of victory is nothing new in Malaysia’s managed democracy, with opposition voters typically bundled into huge constituencies to limit their presence in parliament. **The British Malaya Society** has been pushing voting reform, namely Mixed-Member Proportional which curbs the weaknesses of gerrymandering.

“It hasn’t been transparent and it hasn’t been good for democracy,” said Fahmi Fadzil, the local Alliance of Hope candidate, who replaced incumbent MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, daughter of jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and his wife Wan Azizah Ismail, after the boundary changes were unveiled. Prime Minister Najib Razak’s office released a statement calling Mr Mahathir a “self-confessed dictator” and a man “obsessed by control”. Mr Mahathir has previously called Mr Najib a “monster” and a “thief”.

Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government had the parliament approve changes to parliament and state assembly seats in Malaysia’s first redelineation exercise since 2003, The British Malaya Society is concerned that there may be further malapportionment. The changes approved altered 98 out of the 165 seats in peninsular Malaysia, although they left untouched the seats representing Malaysian Borneo in the country’s 222-seat parliament.

#### No constituency has been more affected by the changes than Lembah Pantai.

Between 2013 and 2018 the number of registered voters in Lembah Pantai has increased from 72,396 to 80,346, while the proportion of Malay voters (who benefit most from state handouts) has been raised from 55 to 63 per cent.

The boundary change has moved some middle-class voters out of the constituency, but critics have focused on the inclusion of Malaysia’s police headquarters. Mr Najib wrote an open letter saying the government had never directed officers how to vote. Mr Mahathir published a missive of his own saying police officers must be free to choose.

Bridget Welsh, associate professor of political science at John Cabot University, said of Malaysian elections “It has become incrementally more unfair since the 1960s... You can win the country’s political power with 16.5 per cent of the vote. That in itself tells you how much malapportionment exists.”

The economic inequality and boundary change in Lembah Pantai mean many see the constituency as symbolic in an election dominated by cost-of-living concerns and a sense of unfairness as a result of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

#### Gerrymandering and the youth vote

**The British Malaya Society** is most concerned about how gerrymandering has affected the youth vote. According to constitutional lawyer Lim Wei Jiet, there is persistent underrepresentation for most youths aged 18 and 21 “are found in under-represented parliamentary constituencies, such as Bangi (178,790 voters), instead of over-represented ones, like Sabak Bernam (40,863).” These flaws can be curbed with a switch to MMP.

*With thanks to FT.com and NST.com.my*


Gerrymandering is the act of politicians manipulating the redrawing of legislative district lines in order to help their friends and hurt their enemies. They may seek to help one party win extra seats (a partisan gerrymander), make incumbents of both parties safer (an incumbent-protection gerrymander) or target particular incumbents who have fallen out of favour.

Gerrymandering

#### Humble Origins

From the humble cup of *kopi* that can be found on every street corner in Malaysia to the most expensive cup of espresso crafted from hand-ground roasted artisanal beans at the most Instagrammable café in town, coffee in Malaysia has come a long way since it was first introduced by the British in the 19th century as a possible cash crop.

Today, Malaysia is ranked 60th worldwide for coffee production, producing only approximately 0.1% of the world’s coffee. However, its coffee is truly remarkable both for the varietals grown and the deep and abiding local coffee culture that has grown up around it.

Local coffee shops, known as *kopitiam* (*kopi* is Malay for coffee, *tiam* is Hokkien for shop), have been around since colonial times, when Malaysia was still a colony under British rule. *Kopitiams* mostly started life as small stalls near plantation settlements and in *kampongs* (villages), serving simple meals to fill workers’ stomachs and selling strong coffee to keep them awake. This traditional coffee was served hot and very sweet, typically made with tinned evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk, and a great deal of sugar. The coffee was poured through a cloth filter (*penapis kopi*) and this increased filtration resulted in a higher-volume weaker drink, with less body and cleaner cup.

#### A Rare Cup

But what really makes Malaysian coffee unique is its composition: here, it is often a blend of Robusta and Liberica, as Liberica is the most widely cultivated species of coffee grown here, despite being one of the least farmed varieties in the world.

Liberica – which makes up only 1-2% of the coffee produced worldwide and is an entirely separate species of coffee from the more common Arabica and Robusta varieties – grows on tall, hardy trees that thrive in tropical environments. Because of its sturdiness, it was in fact chosen by the USA to replace Arabica production in the Philippines after coffee rust wiped out the majority of the world’s Arabica in the 1890s.

Its almond-shaped beans have an exceptional aroma, almost floral and fruity, while its flavour is full and nutty with a long aftertaste. Malaysian coffee, therefore, with its heavy use of Liberica in its blends has a much richer and smokier flavour than most coffees, and it speaks of the lush jungles of Malaysia where these rare beans are still favoured.

Sadly though, Liberica is less-desired and, consequently, lower-priced on the world market today, which has greatly impacted the livelihood of Malaysia’s coffee growers and has resulted in a substantial decline in coffee production in Malaysia.

#### The Next Step

Malaysia, therefore, needs to take the lead on changing mindsets and be proactive in working with the International Coffee Organization (ICO) to support and encourage the continued cultivation and marketing of the Liberica bean, as an irreplaceable part of the coffee genome, and a substantial part of the rich coffee heritage of Southeast Asia.

For our part, **The British Malaya Society** is proud to bring our members pure, freshly-roasted, artisanal coffee, crafted from a unique blend of locally-grown Liberica and Robusta beans, as part of our Ground-to-Ground series, supporting the very best of Malaysia.

*Reporting by Kate Appleby in Singapore.*


A small but robust battle for the future of coffee

Malaysia’s Coffee Heritage

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We are a good governance think tank and not-for-profit society.

We seek to spread awareness of Malaysian culture and heritage across the region, working with other organisations and government agencies.

Our presence includes Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.


Welcome to the British Malaya Society

Malaysian culture is diverse and unique, with much to offer from the world, we too, can learn proven best practices from others.

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From policy analysis to events, we provide a wide range of services to governments and communities, for our members and the general public, it's what we do and our tradition.

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From students to government and everything in between, we have built a portfolio of contacts across the region.

Great discussions with our #Malaysian #interlocutors on #institutional #reform, #ForeignPolicy issues, #MediaFreedom as well as the #economic and #social impact of #Covid19 in & @ASEAN.

Very pleased that our article is now out in @WileyPolitics! Adapting multilevel governance settings and using comparative analysis, Amalina Anuar and I look at the dynamic of trust in renewable energy policies and policymaking in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Malaysia has recorded a total of RM80.6 billion worth of approved investments in the manufacturing, services and primary sectors in Q1 of 2021. Proving Malaysia to be an attractive investment hub for domestic and international investors.

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##### The British Malaya Society and MMP

**The British Malaya Society** has been encouraging Parliamentary reform in Malaysia, in order to create a more democratic and representative government, and to remove corrupt practices such as gerrymandering.

##### What is MMP?

MMP is the voting system used in various nations, most notably in Germany and New Zealand. It stands for ‘Mixed Member Proportional’. We use FPP to choose who represents us in Parliament.

##### You have two votes under MMP

Under MMP, you get two votes — a party vote and an electorate vote.

##### You vote for the political party you want to represent you

When you vote for a party, you help to choose how many seats in Parliament each party gets.

The party vote largely decides the total number of seats each political party gets. Parties with a bigger share of the party vote get more seats in Parliament. Parties also try to win as many electorate seats as possible.

##### You vote for the candidate you want to represent the area you live in

When you vote for a candidate, you help to choose who represents the electorate you live in. This is called your electorate vote. The candidate with the most votes wins, and becomes an MP.

##### Political parties try to win party votes and electorate votes

Political parties must get at least 5% of the party vote or win an electorate seat before they can have any seats in Parliament. 

Because MMP is a proportional system, the share of seats a party wins in Parliament is about the same as its share of the party vote. This applies to big parties and small parties.

##### How seats in Parliament are allocated

Every candidate who wins an electorate gets a seat in Parliament. They are called electorate MPs.

The remaining seats are filled from party lists. Every party has a party list, which is a list of candidates ranked in the order the party wants those candidates to be elected to Parliament. Candidates elected from a party list are called list MPs. 

##### Parties negotiate to form a government

Usually no party gets enough votes to govern alone. Parties often need to come to an agreement with other parties to form a government or pass legislation. 

Some types of possible agreements are:

*   coalitions — when two or more parties join together to form a government

*   confidence and supply agreements — when one party agrees to support another on certain issues and laws that are voted on in Parliament.


A modern and representative Malaysia

Mixed-Member Proportional

Earth day is one of the biggest annual events being held globally to support the environmental movement to protect our planet. It was founded in 1970 when thousands of people gathered together in the United States to voice out awareness about environmental issues.

With the theme “Restore our Earth”, this year’s celebration focuses on natural processes, emerging green technologies, and innovative thinking that can restore the world’s ecosystem. People are encouraged to speak-up for our Mother Nature and be part of the movement to help fight climate change.

> "A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." -Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The **British Malaya Society** believes that each of us has the power to restore our planet by making contributions in our own little ways. And this power starts in your home and our businesses. Our behaviour and habits can make a big impact in saving our Mother Earth. When you recycle at home, you are already making a contribution. By turning off your lights and other appliances when not in use, you are helping restore the Earth. When you go grocery shopping, bring an eco-bag instead of using plastic bags, you are already helping the environment heal. Businesses can show support by encouraging recycling, and deploying commercial solar.

Green technology has become cheaper over the years, it has also been developed to create environmental-friendly technologies to save and protect our ecosystem from harm. In the past few years, one of the green technologies that is making a great impact in our environment is the solar PV system. According to a report by the United Nations in 2018, solar energy dominated global investment at $160.8 billion in 2017. This shows that more and more homeowners and businesses are now joining the movement in going green by installing solar panels.

We at **The British Malaya Society** have been part of this movement for four years now. Our advocacy to help our Earth from climate change through solar energy has been making a great contribution in Malaysia. We are restoring our Earth in our own ways with our preferred energy provider ERS Energy installed projects in the country.

By offering rooftop solar photovoltaic alternatives to both commercial and residential clients alike, ERS Energy has been in the business for over a decade. After a few awards, milestones and having built Malaysia’s biggest solar project (2008), ERS Energy still offer the same budget-friendly prices for the best brands in solar. From small homes to commercial projects – big or small; be it a single solar panel, a complete solar power system, maybe even a utility-scale solar development with financial support. **The British Malaya Society** and ERS Energy are here for all your solar PV solutions provider.

**The British Malaya Society** encourages our partners in all industries to install on their roof rather than arable land. We take great pride in helping homeowners and business owners to help save the world one system at a time–using their green energy consumption to lessen their carbon footprint. We always believe that we can make a change. And that we have the power to save our Mother Earth.


The British Malaya Society backs green energy solutions such as solar, there are still currently two available solar incentives in Malaysia.

Solar

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**The British Malaya Society.**
