Govt will not allow Malaysia to be world's dumping ground - minister

 

The Environment and Water Ministry today stressed that it will not compromise with the irregular entry of rubbish waste including recyclables into Malaysia, following the arrival of a container from the United States filled with plastic waste last month.

Its minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (above) said the government's policy will not allow the country to become the world's dumping ground.

"Our policy is to not let Malaysia become the world's rubbish bin country, I stress, Malaysia does not need to be the world's dumping ground.

"We hope that any wastes sent without adhering to procedures, including recyclables, will be sent back," he said at a press conference after a Kelantan Irrigation and Drainage Department function in Kota Bharu.

At the same time, Tuan Ibrahim maintained there were certain types of wastes approved for entry, including clean plastic for the recycling industry.

The Kubang Kerian MP said this when asked for comments on an American container granted permission for entry to Malaysia as it was said to contain clean polythene.

The entry attracted negative responses on social media, with views largely critical of the government's decision to accept the waste.

The ministry had previously explained that the plastic wastes were clean, homogeneous and met criteria set as conditions for plastic waste import permits granted to importers.

Meanwhile, Tuan Ibrahim said the ministry and related agencies had been monitoring the vessel's entry in Port Klang.

"We asked the port authority to stop the container, we conducted an inspection, and it turns out its contents were not as previously rumoured.

"So the importer had followed the rules, and there were no dirty wastes as previously mentioned," he said.

"We have stressed that we had sent back hundreds of containers, including to America.

"When they break the rules we will not compromise, but when they follow the rules we can't stop them," he said. - Mkini