KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 — The Selangor government is ramping up climate action by involving schools statewide in Kempen Bumi 2026, aimed at equipping students with the knowledge, leadership and communication skills they need to tackle climate change, state executive councillor for public health and environment Jamaliah Jamaluddin said.
She added that the campaign, spearheaded by the Selangor Climate Adaptation Centre (SCAC) and environmental organisation EcoKnights, provides a platform to enhance students’ climate literacy while nurturing future environmental leaders.
“We want to use this platform to strengthen climate literacy, communication skills and leadership, particularly among students and young people.
“We believe they are the leaders of the future and we want to equip them with the creativity and skills to support initiatives that protect and preserve the environment in Selangor,” she told Media Selangor after officiating the Kempen Bumi 2026 awards ceremony at MAHSA Avenue here today.
Jamaliah said this year’s campaign drew 721 submissions from 150 secondary schools across Selangor through two flagship sub-programmes — Suara Bumi (climate storytelling through posters, short films and long-form videos) and Rakan Bumi (youth-led practical climate action projects).
Five winners were selected in each category, receiving cash prizes ranging from RM250 to RM1,200 and plaques.
In her speech, Jamaliah said the ceremony was more than the conclusion of a programme, instead calling it a celebration of Selangor students’ courage, creativity and determination to tackle the global climate crisis.
“Climate change is no longer a theoretical issue but a reality that demands immediate and collective action,” she said, citing extreme heat and unpredictable weather among its growing impacts.
Despite these challenges, Jamaliah said the overwhelming response to Kempen Bumi shows strong environmental awareness among Selangor youth.
“Kempen Bumi supports Selangor’s aspiration to become a sustainable and climate-resilient state, in line with the Selangor Climate Change Policy, while also contributing to the National Climate Change Policy, the National Education Policy, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals),” she said.
She also expressed appreciation to educators for nurturing environmental leadership among students and hope for Kempen Bumi to continue beyond the competition, as the starting point to build sustainable, climate-resilient school communities throughout Selangor.
Meanwhile, Jamaliah said the state government is planning more youth-focused initiatives through SCAC, including programmes that encourage youth to draft climate-related policy proposals and present them in a simulated legislative assembly setting.
“We will continue evaluating the effectiveness of every campaign and determine which initiatives should become annual programmes. Based on the response so far, Kempen Bumi has received highly encouraging support.”
Jamaliah also thanked the Selangor Education Department (JPNS) for supporting the campaign and managing its rollout in participating schools.
