Shell chairman: Low carbon era coming

Date : 6 August 2009
Publication : The Star

Malaysia needs to do more to embrace “green” technology or risk losing out when fossil fuels become obsolete, according to Shell Malaysia chairman Datuk Saw Choo Boon.

“The fossil fuel-led industrial era will come to an end and the low carbon era is coming. Malaysia’s future is dependent on how robust we can be in a low carbon era,” he said at the Sustainable Business Roundtable themed Is the Green Economy Coming? yesterday.

Saw, one of the panellists, also said there should be more training programmes for potential employees within the (green) industry.

“Going green is about new technology and a different type of employee is necessary to work in a green economy,” he said, adding that technology-based companies should also look into researching new, more efficient, renewable energy.

The forum was jointly organised by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Business Council for Sustainable Development Malaysia, Shell Malaysia and The Edge Business Weekly.

Other panellists included Energy Commission Malaysia chairman Datuk Pian Sukro, ACCA Asean & Australasia director Tay Kay Luan, DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Johan Dennelind, Malaysian Institute of Architects president Lee Chor Wah, Pusat Tenaga Malaysia national project leader Ahmad Hadri Haris, Philips Malaysia chairman and chief executive officer Lee Weng Seong and Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia chief executive officer Julian Wynter.

Tay said companies that adopted green or sustainability practices were perceived as good employment choices and usually hired the best talents.

“Companies that promote such practices also tend to progress much faster,” he said, adding that there was a lack of awareness among Malaysians on what going green meant. “To many, green means spending a weekend indulging in some ‘gotong-royong’ but it is more than that,” he said.

Lee, meanwhile, said companies should not detract from their sustainable practices just because it cost them money to do so.
“By not practising sustainable practices, companies actually run the risk of going out of business,” he said.

Pian said while the agenda was for everyone, it was ultimately the Government’s responsibility to drive the development of a green economy in Malaysia.