ABSTRACT
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Malaysia started in the form of small contributions, driven by ethical conscience or religious motivations. Due to globalisation, multinational companies operating in Malaysia brought with them the concept of CSR as part of their corporate strategy. Currently, the government has started to focus on a strategy towards achieving an equitable society, which results in higher expectations for companies to participate in CSR programmes. This chapter begins with the history and development of CSR in Malaysia. This chapter then highlights relevant CSR regulations in Malaysia as well as the role played by the Tenth and Eleventh Malaysia Plans, the New Economic Model, and Bursa Malaysia in the development of CSR practices in Malaysia. The story thus far on CSR in Malaysia is discussed by exploring the empirical studies on CSR in Malaysia, which includes studies on CSR awareness, perceptions, practices, and disclosures. Lastly, the chapter discusses the emerging issues of CSR in Malaysia including concepts such as sustainability. Even though these new concepts are given various names, there are common themes that are similar to CSR, which considers the current and future impact of business operations, products and services on the environment and society in general.
