Johor wants Bukit Payong WTE plant project expedited
Johor Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor said that following delays, the project has been pushed back by two years from its initial schedule.
He said completion of the plant would, among others, solve the odour pollution facing residents near the Batu Empat landfill in Kota Tinggi, while also easing the waste load at the site.
'I sympathise with the situation faced by the residents. The federal government needs to fast-track the WTE project in Bukit Payong so that part of the waste currently being sent to Batu Empat can be diverted there.
'Subsequently, the Batu Empat landfill should be reserved exclusively for waste from the Kota Tinggi area to help reduce its overall capacity,' he told a press conference after opening the Kulai Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Career Carnival, here today.
He said this when asked about the odour pollution from the Batu Empat landfill facing residents of Kampung Desa Makmur near Kota Tinggi.
Mohd Jafni said the landfill currently receives waste from four local government authorities (PBT), namely the Kulai, Pontian, Kluang and Kota Tinggi districts.
Given the situation, he expressed hope that the federal government would allocate additional funds to implement a more systematic and modern waste management system at the site, which he noted is still operating using outdated methods.
'We need a long-term solution and proper budget allocation to improve waste management infrastructure at Batu Empat. This will not only address the odour issue but also improve environmental and public health conditions for surrounding communities,' he said.
Last Tuesday, more than 50 residents of Kampung Desa Makmur held a peaceful rally to call for the Batu Empat landfill to be closed.
The landfill, which covers an area of about 4.2 hectares and is located 300 metres from the village, is alleged to be causing odour pollution and causing discomfort to residents due to the presence of flies.
The pollution is also alleged to have affected more than 10 surrounding villages, involving about 5,000 residents
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malaysian Reserve
16 hours ago
- Malaysian Reserve
Ahmad Zahid: HLC on rural development to drive integrated, sustainable growth
THE Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) continues to strengthen the rural development agenda through the official establishment of the High-Level Committee (HLC) on Rural Development — the highest-level strategic platform that discusses comprehensive rural development policies and implementation across ministries and agencies. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (picture) said the HLC will be supported by working committees formed around six key focus areas, namely education, entrepreneur development, rural economy, technology and digitalisation, rural tourism, and rural infrastructure. Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said the HLC will meet at least twice a year, or as required. 'The establishment of the HLC is in line with the aspirations of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), which emphasises integrated governance to reduce duplication of functions, optimise resource utilisation, and accelerate the achievement of outcomes. 'Through this HLC, the government aims to reduce youth migration to cities by creating more opportunities in rural areas, producing more rural techno-entrepreneurs, strengthening the role of the Regional Development Board through new business models and boosting a competitive rural tourism sector,' he said in a statement today. Earlier, he chaired the inaugural HLC meeting at the Parliament Building, which was also attended by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek and Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing. According to Ahmad Zahid, the key inputs from the meeting included improving facilities and access to rural schools, enhancing the promotion of rural tourism, addressing the welfare of the elderly and people with special needs, and upgrading health infrastructure to improve the well-being of rural communities. He said the cross-ministerial initiatives already underway and directly benefiting rural stakeholders include UP_TVET, a centralised application system for Technical and Vocational Education and Training courses. Other programmes include Inap Desa Tahun Melawat Malaysia 2026, which promotes rural tourism as a key attraction; the Mega 3-Dimensional Carnival (KM3D), a large-scale entrepreneurship platform; and the SBP-MRSM Single Application System, which streamlines admission to boarding schools. 'Rural development is not just about building physical infrastructure, but also about building the future and unlocking the potential of the people. I am confident that, with a whole-of-government approach, this HLC will help create a prosperous, sustainable rural ecosystem and drive national progress,' he said. — BERNAMA
Barnama
18 hours ago
- Barnama
HLC On Rural Development To Drive Integrated, Sustainable Growth
GENERAL KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) continues to strengthen the rural development agenda through the official establishment of the High-Level Committee (HLC) on Rural Development - the highest-level strategic platform that discusses comprehensive rural development policies and implementation across ministries and agencies. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the HLC will be supported by working committees formed around six key focus areas, namely education, entrepreneur development, rural economy, technology and digitalisation, rural tourism, and rural infrastructure. Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said the HLC will meet at least twice a year, or as required. 'The establishment of the HLC is in line with the aspirations of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), which emphasises integrated governance to reduce duplication of functions, optimise resource utilisation, and accelerate the achievement of outcomes. 'Through this HLC, the government aims to reduce youth migration to cities by creating more opportunities in rural areas, producing more rural techno-entrepreneurs, strengthening the role of the Regional Development Board through new business models and boosting a competitive rural tourism sector,' he said in a statement today. Earlier, he chaired the inaugural HLC meeting at the Parliament Building, which was also attended by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek and Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing. According to Ahmad Zahid, the key inputs from the meeting included improving facilities and access to rural schools, enhancing the promotion of rural tourism, addressing the welfare of the elderly and people with special needs, and upgrading health infrastructure to improve the well-being of rural communities. He said the cross-ministerial initiatives already underway and directly benefiting rural stakeholders include UP_TVET, a centralised application system for Technical and Vocational Education and Training courses. Other programmes include Inap Desa Tahun Melawat Malaysia 2026, which promotes rural tourism as a key attraction; the Mega 3-Dimensional Carnival (KM3D), a large-scale entrepreneurship platform; and the SBP-MRSM Single Application System, which streamlines admission to boarding schools.
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Towards a skilled Asean workforce
KUALA LUMPUR: The establishment of an Asean Green and Digital Skills Taskforce can unite the region and keep it future-ready, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Ahmad Zahid, who is also the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council chairman, said the proposed regional movement would allow for concrete action and measurable targets. 'Perhaps from this very gathering, we can establish a new regional movement that unites us while cultivating the talent our region needs,' he said when launching the Asean TVET Conference at the World Trade Centre here yesterday. He said the success of any one nation (in Asean) in TVET is no longer enough. 'Our workforce is increasingly regional and our challenges are shared,' he said of Malaysia's proposal to establish an Asean TVET Certification and Excellence Hub, which aims to function as a central body that will set benchmarks, ensure mutual recognition and promote mobility for skilled workers across borders. Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, stressed the need to pioneer cross-border apprenticeship programmes. 'This way, a student from the Philippines can train in Malaysia, an Indonesian in Vietnam and a Thai graduate in Singapore – turning Asean integration into a living reality through the movement of skills and knowledge,' he said, emphasising that Malaysia's TVET journey does not stop at its borders. According to him, Malaysia has forged impactful pathways, including 5,125 industrial placements in China, collaboration with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in Abu Dhabi, and skills exchanges with Japan, Germany and Australia. The Deputy Prime Minister added that 53.56% of Malaysia's secondary school leavers chose TVET as their first choice in 2024. Graduate employability, he said, currently stands at 95.1%, reflecting how skills training is matching job opportunities. 'Applications to national TVET institutions have since surged past 200,000. We have also introduced new certification levels which are equivalent to higher education qualifications. 'This gives our advanced technical graduates the credibility to compete on the global stage,' he said, adding that the minimum wage coverage has also been expanded to include semi-skilled and TVET graduates. Human Resources Minister Steven Sim, who was also present at the event, said Asean should be a platform for experience-sharing in skills training. 'The different stages of our industrialisation and the different sectors, where each has our respective own competitive advantages, will enable us to complement each other,' he said in his remarks at the launch. Citing Malaysia's extensive experience in the high-tech manufacturing sector, specifically semiconductors, he said the country also aspires to be a world-class skills training centre. 'Our unique national experience will surely be useful to fellow member states who are perhaps exploring similar paths. Malaysia too, can benefit from learning from our neighbours,' said Sim. The Asean TVET Conference is jointly organised by the Human Resource Development Corporation and the Skills Development Fund Corporation Malaysia. It is the fourth flagship platform under the Asean Year of Skills 2025. Themed 'Advancing Digital and Green Transformations through an Inclusive and Future-Ready TVET System', the two-day conference explores how the region can enhance the quality, relevance and accessibility of TVET to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving economy.
