Kota Kinabalu: Independent Non-Executive Chairman of Life Water Berhad, Datuk Petrus Gimbad, has urged risk professionals to take climate change seriously, warning that Sabah’s coastal communities could face mounting threats from rising sea levels and extreme weather events.
Delivering the keynote address at the Marim International Conference 2025 on Tuesday, Petrus, who is also a private consultant (Sabah Government Representative) to the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia, said global warming is on track to exceed the 1.5°C threshold unless fossil fuel dependency is significantly reduced.
“Global warming is real. Unless the world reduces its appetite for fossil fuels, we will overshoot 1.5°C,” he said.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});He stressed that organisations must adopt whole-system approaches to sustainability, including full life cycle assessments of their operations, and align business practices with environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals.
Petrus also cited lessons from China and Singapore, where energy transition strategies are being balanced with the need for reliability and development.
“Sabah must plan carefully. We have financial and infrastructure limitations, especially on the east coast, and these must be addressed if we are to pursue large-scale renewable energy options,” he said.
Marim Chairman Muhammad Faisha Shahriman called on risk professionals to move beyond compliance and become strategic leaders within their organisations.
“We are expected to make sense of changes in regulation, policy, economics and technology and to help organisations respond in ways that are timely, strategic and sound,” he said.
Held for the first time in Sabah, the two-day conference attracted over 300 participants and 24 exhibitors, with more than 60 per cent of attendees representing government-linked companies (GLCs).
Themed “The Antifragile Risk Manager – Resourceful, Resilient, Relevant” the event aims to strengthen the capacity of risk leaders to manage complex threats and support sustainable growth.
Faisha also highlighted Marim’s recent partnership with the UK-based Institute of Risk Management (IRM) to expand global certification pathways for Malaysian professionals.
He acknowledged long-standing support from the Labuan International Insurance Association (LIIA) and the Malaysian Insurance and Takaful Brokers Association (MITBA).
Participants at the conference include professionals from sectors such as oil and gas, banking, infrastructure, agribusiness, telecommunications, manufacturing and legal services.
Key topics being discussed over the two days include ESG, cyber risk, climate transition, corporate governance and risk culture.
The event is supported by corporate sponsors across the insurance, energy, financial and consultancy sectors, including platinum sponsor Howden Malaysia.