TNB Reinforces ESG Agenda, Plants 25,000 Mangrove Trees

MANJUNG, July 1 (Bernama) -- Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has reinforced its commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles and Malaysia’s Net Zero 2050 target by launching a programme to plant 25,000 mangrove trees at the Tanjung Burung Mangrove Forest in Pantai Remis, Perak.

TNB President/Chief Executive Officer Datuk Ir. Ts. Shamsul Ahmad said the programme, undertaken under the My Brighter Green Initiative (MBGI), aims not only to restore mangrove ecosystems but also to raise awareness of coastal conservation, biodiversity and community participation in sustainability efforts.

“Planting mangroves increases carbon sequestration, reduces coastal erosion and restores ecosystems that serve as habitats for species such as fish and crabs.

“It is also particularly important as several TNB power stations, including the Sultan Azlan Shah Power Station (Janamanjung), are located along the coast, where healthy mangrove forests help protect shorelines from erosion,” he told Bernama during the MBGI 2026 programme here on Tuesday, June 30.

Present were Perak Forestry Department Deputy Director (Development) Azni Rahman A. Wahid, Malaysian Nature Society Executive Director I. S. Shanmugaraj and TNB Chief Sustainability Officer Leo Pui Yong.

Around 70 students and teachers from Sekolah Menengah Agama Rakyat Tarbiyyatul Ajyal, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Dato Idris, Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (Cina) Tit Bin and Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (Tamil) Pengkalan Baru joined TNB employees, local communities, government agencies and other stakeholders in the mangrove tree-planting exercise.

Shamsul said MBGI's distinguishing feature is its strong community involvement, bringing together students, local communities, government agencies and the state government to foster greater environmental awareness among younger generations.

“We want young people to appreciate the importance of protecting the environment from an early age because they will carry this sustainability agenda forward.

“As the nation's leading energy utility, TNB wants to be recognised not only as an electricity provider but also as an organisation committed to ESG, human capital development, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and community engagement,” he said.

Besides Pantai Remis, MBGI 2026 is being carried out at five other locations: Kubang Badak in Langkawi, Tanjung Tuan in Melaka, Jimah in Negeri Sembilan, Nibong Tebal in Penang and Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) in Selangor.

Through MBGI 2026, TNB will plant 40,000 trees across six sites, expected to absorb approximately 67 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e) annually, comparable to the emissions from a petrol-powered car travelling about 249,100 km.

In conjunction with the programme, TNB also contributed RM60,000 in CSR funding to local communities, comprising RM50,000 for five schools, namely SK Panchor, SJK (T) Pengkalan Baru, SJK (C) Tit Bin, SMK Dato Idris and SMAR Tarbiyyatul Ajyal for educational equipment and learning programmes, as well as RM10,000 to Masjid Al-Aliah in Pantai Remis to support mosque activities.

Between 2017 and 2025, TNB planted nearly 200,000 trees nationwide, with the potential to absorb around 3,400 tCO₂e annually, equivalent to the yearly electricity consumption of almost 650 households.

Meanwhile, Azni Rahman described MBGI 2026 as one of the corporate sector's most significant contributions to mangrove conservation, national greening efforts and climate change mitigation.

He said the initiative complements the Greening Malaysia Campaign 2.0 under the Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) programme, which continues this year after the government achieved its target of planting 100 million trees under the 12th Malaysia Plan.

“TNB's support has been invaluable. Corporate participation strengthens the government's environmental conservation and biodiversity efforts, and TNB has consistently been one of the Perak Forestry Department's strategic partners in carrying out conservation projects each year,” he noted.

For 12-year-old Tiau Ka Yen of SJK (C) Tit Bin, the programme marked his first experience planting mangroves and gave her a deeper understanding of their environmental importance.

“I had heard of mangrove trees before, but never really learnt about them. Today I discovered that they also help reduce the impact of disasters such as large waves and tsunamis,” he said.

-- BERNAMA