KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani today urged a streamlined approach among agencies managing plastic waste and proposed mandatory registration of all plastic recycling companies under the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) to boost oversight and enforcement.
Johari, who is also acting natural resources and environmental sustainability minister, said the current system involves fragmented jurisdiction across several agencies, including the Environment Department, Solid Waste Management Department, Miti, and Customs Department.
“To be effective, these four agencies must come together. I’ve submitted this proposal to the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry,” he said during a parliamentary session today.
He was responding to Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN-Kubang Kerian), who asked about improving enforcement at plastic recycling plants, some of which are linked to the illegal import of waste.
Johari emphasised the importance of thoroughly inspecting plastic waste containers entering the country and urged stricter monitoring at processing facilities to trace waste back to licensed operators.
“If a container arrives with false declarations, customs may not catch it immediately, but by monitoring every company processing this waste, we can track which factories receive it and verify their licensing status,” he said.
He also raised concerns that only 10 to 20 per cent of imported plastic waste is processed, with the bulk ending up in Malaysian landfills.
“We bear the high cost of landfill management while the exporting countries pay nothing,” he said.
To address these challenges, Johari proposed making it mandatory for these companies to register under Miti to ensure greater transparency through annual license renewals, which require audited financial statements detailing sales, exports and market destinations.
Johari noted that the mechanism should be implemented immediately to prevent the illegal dumping of plastic waste.
— Bernama
