petronas, tnb express interest in producing carbon credits
Petronas, Tenaga Nasional Bhd and other public listed companies (PLCs) have expressed interest in producing carbon credits for the planned Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM), according to Bursa Malaysia chief executive…
Source: Bernama · August 25, 2026 at 6:30 AM · AI-assisted report
Corroborated
KUALA LUMPUR, 25 AUGUST 2026 —
Petronas, Tenaga Nasional Bhd and other public listed companies (PLCs) have expressed interest in producing carbon credits for the planned Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM), according to Bursa Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift.
Market Impact
During a session on Corporate Sustainability, Social and Governance (ESG) Investing organised by the School of Economics, Finance and Banking (SEFB) at Universiti Utara Malaysia, Swift said Bursa Malaysia is developing a carbon exchange and seeking parties to generate the credits. He added that the VCM would help Malaysian companies remain competitive in export markets, particularly the European Union, which is considering a levy on imported carbon‑intensive products.
“If Malaysian exporters can achieve carbon neutrality for their products, they can ship to the EU without incurring a tax, the VCM could neutralise the impact,” Swift said. He said the programme would provide a mechanism for companies to offset their carbon obligations in export countries.
On ESG disclosure, Swift noted Bursa Malaysia has issued a public consultation document to seek feedback on mandatory disclosure of various ESG metrics. “This will make it easier for investors to understand what companies are doing to meet their ESG requirements,” he said.
The pandemic has pushed ESG onto the roadmap of many companies, Swift added. Currently, 79 PLCs are listed in the FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia Shariah (F4GBMS) Index, launched in July 2021 to meet investor demand for ESG and shariah‑compliant solutions.
He highlighted that adopting ESG is crucial for PLCs to secure capital as more investors and fund managers are adopting sustainable elements. The Employees Provident Fund has launched a Sustainable Investment Policy to achieve ESG compliance by 2030 and a climate‑neutral portfolio by 2050, while Permodalan Nasional Bhd will soon launch its ESG pledge.
Bursa Malaysia’s PLC Transformation Programme, running through 2025, aims to steer all PLCs toward accelerating growth strategies and improving performance in a changing investment climate that increasingly values ESG.
Swift noted that two‑thirds of listed companies on Bursa Malaysia experienced losses during COVID‑19 and that a downtrend in profitability was observed for some period.
Related: Petronas · Bursa Malaysia