PORT DICKSON - Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has allocated RM800,000 to the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) to plant 40,000 mangrove saplings under the My Brighter Green Initiative (MBGI) 2026, as part of its environmental conservation efforts and in support of the country's sustainability agenda.
TNB senior network officer Ir Mahathir Nor Ismail said the programme, covering six locations nationwide, could absorb about 680 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e) annually, comparable to the yearly emissions of 159 petrol-powered vehicles.
He said MBGI continued TNB’s national greening efforts by restoring natural ecosystems, protecting biodiversity and supporting Malaysia’s energy transition and net-zero emissions target by 2050.
"Today, we are not merely planting trees. We are continuing TNB’s commitment to ensuring the country’s energy development progresses alongside environmental conservation.
"As the country’s leading electricity utility, TNB believes economic development and energy security must go hand in hand with environmental responsibility,” he said at the launch of MBGI 2026 at the Tuanku Muhriz Power Station, Jimah, Port Dickson, on Aug 6.
Mahathir said the initiative began in Kubang Badak, Langkawi, in June with 10,000 mangrove saplings, followed by 25,000 at the Tanjung Burung Mangrove Forest in Perak and 1,000 at the Tanjung Tuan Permanent Forest Reserve in Melaka.
The Tuanku Muhriz Power Station became the fourth location for MBGI 2026, where 1,500 mangrove saplings were planted, bringing the total number planted so far to 37,500.
The programme will continue in Nibong Tebal, Penang, on Aug 14 with 1,500 saplings before concluding this year's programme at Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) in Bangi in October with another 1,000 saplings.
Mahathir said MBGI 2026 builds on the legacy of TNB's greening programme, under which nearly 200,000 trees were planted nationwide between 2017 and 2025.
He said the total trees planted during the period were estimated to be able to absorb approximately 3,140 tCO₂e per year, equivalent to the yearly carbon emissions from 732 petrol-powered passenger vehicles.
Meanwhile, MNS acting executive director Mohammad Raffi Ismail said the organisation’s partnership with TNB since 2019 had transformed what was once an open coastal area around the Tuanku Muhriz Power Station into a thriving mangrove habitat.
He said Jimah was selected after a pilot project successfully restored the habitat, helping protect the coastline from erosion and absorb carbon.
He said the mangrove planting programme not only aims to restore ecosystems but also encourages public participation through the involvement of school students, local communities and government agencies.
"Mangroves are vital breeding grounds for marine species, particularly fish, crabs and shellfish, and help maintain the balance of marine ecosystems.
"As the habitat thrives, more marine species will return. Young fish shelter among the mangroves during high tide before returning to the sea as they mature,” he said.
TNB also contributed RM50,000 to Politeknik Nilai, Sekolah Kebangsaan Chuah, SJK(C) Yik Chiao, Masjid Chuah and Masjid Kampung Sawah as part of its community development efforts.
During the first half of 2026, the company channelled RM620,000 into corporate social responsibility and Wakalah programmes in Negeri Sembilan.
SJK(C) Yik Chiao headmaster Pow Kak Wei said the mangrove project had improved the local environment, particularly for nearby fishing communities.
The return of various fish and crab species demonstrated the restoration effort’s effectiveness, he added. - BERNAMA