‘Those importing waste will face music’
SEMENYIH: Those who continue importing illegal plastic waste will be prosecuted.
Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar gave this warning to individuals and groups involved in bringing plastic waste into the country.
“Of course, there are some people who have been trying to continue (accepting plastic waste) and my only warning to them is that we will put a stop to the industry and prosecute them.
“The Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry and Housing and Local Government Ministry have been doing their jobs to stop this activity and my ministry has also stepped in.
“The cabinet has agreed to stop the import of plastic waste into the country,” Xavier told the New Straits Times.
He was responding to the issue of plastic waste being imported to the country by irresponsible recycling plant operators.
He said this during a Pakatan Harapan campaign programme for the Semenyih by-election at the Taman Pelangi Club House yesterday.
The NST reported yesterday that the Selangor government was forming a special task force to ensure the complete closure of 104 illegal plastic recycling factories and prevent their proliferation in the state
This followed reports that the operators might have move their activities out of Kuala Langat and Klang to avoid the heat following joint operations against them last year.
Selangor Local Government, Public Transportation and New Village Development Committee chairman Ng Sze Han said out of the 104 facctories, 33 illegal factories operating in Kuala Langat were closed between July and December last year.
In January, Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin announced that about 100 illegal plastic waste recycling plants nationwide were to be shut down by next month.