Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM), or Friends of the Earth Malaysia, is a non-profit environmental organization founded in 1977 that works to protect Malaysia’s natural environment and support the rights of local and indigenous communities. Based in Penang and Sarawak, SAM focuses on issues like deforestation, pollution, climate change, and land rights, advocating for sustainable development and environmental justice across the country.
Greenpeace Malaysia is part of Greenpeace Southeast Asia, established in 2017 to address environmental issues in Malaysia through non-violent, creative activism. It focuses on problems like air pollution, plastic waste, deforestation, and the need for clean energy. Known for campaigns such as the fight for haze-free air and protection of forests like the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve, Greenpeace Malaysia operates independently without government or corporate funding and relies on public support to push for a greener, fairer future.
The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), founded in 1940, is the country’s oldest and most established environmental NGO, dedicated to the conservation of Malaysia’s natural heritage. It focuses on protecting biodiversity, promoting environmental education, and engaging communities in sustainable practices. MNS is known for its work in forest and wildlife conservation, birdwatching activities, and environmental advocacy, and it operates through branches and volunteer groups across the country.
The Global Environment Centre (GEC) is a Malaysia-based non-profit NGO founded in 1998, dedicated to conserving forests, peatlands, rivers, wetlands, biodiversity, and tackling climate change through partnerships and community-led, nature-based solutions. With its headquarters in Petaling Jaya, GEC runs major programmes including Forest & Coastal, Peatland, River Care, and Outreach & Partnership, engaging thousands of volunteers, planting hundreds of thousands of mangrove trees, rehabilitating peat swamp forests, and promoting civic science across Southeast Asia .