July 12, 2026

Peninsular Malaysia, with its extensive coastline, is home to numerous artisanal fishing communities that have historically relied on the sea for their livelihoods. Amid the escalating challenges of climate change, small-scale Malaysian fishermen are among the most vulnerable communities. In ‘Analysing Climate Change Through a Human Security Lens: a Case Study of Fishermen in Crisis from Peninsular Malaysia’ (Geopolitics, 2024), Dr Serina Rahman (NUS Southeast Asian Studies) highlights how these communities are on the frontlines of climate-induced impacts, grappling with threats to their livelihoods, food security, and overall wellbeing. She critiques traditional security frameworks as insufficient to address the complex and multifaceted nature of these challenges. Instead, she advocates for a human security approach, prioritising the lived experiences and needs of such marginalised communities in crafting more effective responses.

The research employs 16 years of ethnographic observation that explores the community’s dynamics and challenges. It adapts the 2001 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) vulnerability assessment framework, incorporating tools to evaluate resilience and adaptability. This integrated approach offers a detailed analysis of climate change’s impacts on fishing communities and their coping strategies.

The study examines the Mukim Tanjung Kupang area in Johor, where generations of fishermen have depended on the western Tebrau Strait for their livelihoods. This region is particularly significant due to its proximity to Singapore, where geopolitical dynamics, such as the expansion of the Tuas Megaport, intersect with environmental challenges, impacting local fishing communities. Dr Rahman highlights how climate change, through rising sea temperatures and extreme weather, has reduced fish stocks and created hazardous conditions for small-scale fishermen. As the shared waters between Malaysia and Singapore are critical for fishermen in both nations and Malaysian seafood supplies serve both local and Singaporean markets, shifts in marine ecosystems severely threaten food security and economic stability on both sides. Dr Rahman hence emphasises the need for sustainable practices that integrate local knowledge and resilience, encouraging fishermen to diversify their catches and explore alternative incomes.

However, she critiques the lack of recognition for these grassroots efforts in broader policy discussions. The article concludes with a strong appeal for a human security framework that prioritises the realities of marginalised communities. Dr Rahman argues that vulnerability assessments must lead to concrete actions that build community capacity. This requires policymakers to engage directly with these groups, incorporating their experiences into climate adaptation strategies, for inclusive policies to be created that leverage community capabilities and promote sustainable livelihoods and freshwater fish supplies.

Read the article here.