Law & Behold #31: The Right to a Clean Environment

In Malaysia, there is no specific provision relating to environmental protection in the Federal Constitution. Some have said though, it is implicit in Article 5, which guarantees the right to life. Article 5(1) states that no person shall be denied of their personal liberty, unless the law allows it to be. Taking that into account, should the Federal Constitution be amended to expressly include a right to a clean and healthy environment? We discuss this and more with Kiu Jia Yaw, a practising lawyer familiar with environmental laws in Malaysia.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (Chris Potter)