Latest news with #JohariAbdulGhani
Barnama
10 hours ago
- Business
- Barnama
Johari Calls For Agency Streamlining, Mandatory Registration Of Plastic Recyclers Under MITI
KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 (Bernama) -- 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 Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) to boost oversight and enforcement. Johari, who is also the Acting Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, said the current system involves fragmented jurisdiction across several agencies, including the Department of Environment, Solid Waste Management Department, MITI and the Customs Department. 'To be effective, these four agencies must come together. I've submitted this proposal to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability,' he said during a parliamentary session today. He was responding to Datuk Seri Ibrahim 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 all plastic waste containers entering the country and called for 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, ensuring greater transparency through annual license renewals that require audited financial statements detailing sales, exports and market destinations.
Malay Mail
11 hours ago
- Malay Mail
KL mayor denies bias in Desa Pandan hawker demolitions, cites road plan based on data and complaints since 2017
KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif said there were no elements of bias in the treatment of local hawkers and vendors in Desa Pandan, amid public backlash over the matter. She said the authorities had taken action based on public complaints and data collected since 2017 regarding proposals to widen roads in the area. 'We may visit the stall owners tomorrow to assess the situation on the ground,' she told reporters after a visit to the Kuala Lumpur Command and Control Centre near Bukit Jalil here. 'As for claims of bias, we are not. Our actions are based on data, suggestions, and plans that have been in place for some time. The plan for the road was proposed back in 2017 after public complaints about the area being too tight and congested. Maimunah added that she had personally contacted Titiwangsa MP Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani on the matter, despite him questioning whether Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) needed to demolish nine hawker stalls in Desa Pandan to make way for the expansion. She said the matter had also been discussed with DBKL and that some alternative solutions had been proposed. 'Studies were conducted, and alternatives were considered for both road users and pedestrians. Since then, we've held four meetings with the local community,' Maimunah said. 'We acknowledge there was initial resistance. There are currently nine stalls involved, and if anything needs to be done, we will discuss it with them.' Her remarks follow public criticism and a recent enforcement operation to remove illegal hawker stalls as part of a planned road-widening project in the area. On July 15, Bernama reported that a man was arrested after going on a rampage and swinging a machete at enforcement officers during an operation to demolish illegal structures in Desa Pandan. A video of the man acting aggressively towards the police went viral. Yesterday, Izat Saini @ Zaini, 43, pleaded not guilty in the Magistrates' Court to a charge of using criminal force by brandishing a machete to intimidate public servants.
New Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Govt eyes streamlined agencies to bolster plastic waste import controls
KUALA LUMPUR: The government is mulling an overhaul of the country's plastic waste import system, including streamlining the roles of four key agencies to enhance coordination, accountability and enforcement. This will involve the Department of Environment (DoE), Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corp (SWCorp), Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry, and Customs Department. Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, who helms the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry, said the proposed initiative aimed to strengthen enforcement mechanisms in addressing the transboundary movement of plastic waste. "We take the issue of unauthorised and uncontrolled transboundary movement of plastic waste very seriously. "It is often seen as a form of waste colonisation," he told the Dewan Rakyat today. Johari said overlapping jurisdictions among the agencies had hindered enforcement efforts. "We have four different bodies with different mandates. "If we want effective enforcement, all four must sit at the same table; that is my suggestion to Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry," he said, responding to questions from Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (Perikatan Nasional–Kubang Kerian) on the government's position regarding plastic waste imports enforcement. Johari said enforcement should go beyond port inspections and include strict monitoring of recycling facilities. "If we track activities at the processing plants, we can determine whether the waste is being handled by licensed operators or otherwise," he said. Johari said only 10-20 per cent of imported plastic waste is properly processed, while the remaining 80 per cent ends up in landfills. To address this, he said the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry would require all plastic recycling companies to register with the ministry and renew their licences annually. He said beginning July 1, new standard operating procedures (SOPs) have been enforced under the Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order (Amendment) 2002. All plastic waste imports must be approved by the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry and obtain a Certificate of Approval issued by Sirim. "With the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry's involvement, we want all companies to register with the ministry. "We will scrutinise their financial reports, sales data, export destinations and waste handling practices," he said. Johari said that Malaysia, as a signatory to the Basel Convention, is bound by its provisions on the transboundary movement of hazardous waste, including the 2021 amendment which mandates Prior Informed Consent before any cross-border shipment of plastic waste.
Malay Mail
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
KL mayor denies bias in removal of hawker stalls for road project
KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif said there were no elements of bias in the treatment of local hawkers and vendors in Desa Pandan. Her remarks follow public criticism and a recent enforcement operation to remove illegal hawker stalls as part of a planned road-widening project in the area. She said the authorities had taken action based on public complaints and data collected since 2017 regarding proposals to widen roads in the area. Maimunah added that she had personally contacted Titiwangsa MP Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani on the matter. Johari had earlier questioned whether Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) needed to demolish nine hawker stalls in Desa Pandan to make way for the expansion. She said the matter had also been discussed with DBKL and that some alternative solutions had been proposed. 'We may visit the stall owners tomorrow to assess the situation on the ground. 'As for claims of bias, we are not. Our actions are based on data, suggestions, and plans that have been in place for some time. The plan for the road was proposed back in 2017 after public complaints about the area being too tight and congested. 'Studies were conducted, and alternatives were considered for both road users and pedestrians. Since then, we've held four meetings with the local community,' Maimunah told reporters after a visit to the Kuala Lumpur Command Centre near Bukit Jalil today. 'We acknowledge there was initial resistance. There are currently nine stalls involved, and if anything needs to be done, we will discuss it with them. 'Again, we are not biased. We're simply looking at it from a technical and data-driven perspective, including traffic impact studies and feasibility assessments for the road. 'Let's see how things unfold. If there's no resolution, we're prepared to return to the drawing board,' she said. On July 15, Bernama reported that a man was arrested after going on a rampage and swinging a machete at enforcement officers during an operation to demolish illegal structures in Desa Pandan. A video of the man acting aggressively towards the police went viral. Yesterday, Izat Saini @ Zaini, 43, pleaded not guilty in the Magistrates' Court to a charge of using criminal force by brandishing a machete to intimidate public servants.
New Straits Times
16 hours ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Malaysia moves to secure low-risk status under EU deforestation rules
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is rolling out coordinated strategies to secure its status as a low-risk country under the EU's deforestation rules, with efforts spanning forest monitoring, regulatory compliance, and sustainable land management. Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said one of the key strategies is coordinating the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) across multiple ministries and agencies. These include forest data management, enforcement and sustainable forest governance, he said. The European Union will by June 30 unveil the much anticipated "country benchmarking system" under the EUDR. It will divide countries into one of three tiers: "low", "standard" or "high" risk, with escalating due diligence and compliance obligations aimed at minimising EU's contributions to global deforestation and forest degradation. It requires seven commodities and their derivatives — cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soyabean and wood — entering the EU market to be deforestation-free, legally produced and covered by a due diligence statement. Johari (BN–Titiwangsa) said that his ministry is also working to ensure that Malaysia's agri-commodity products exported to the EU meet EUDR requirements through the adoption of sustainable certification schemes such as the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil Certification Scheme, the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme, and the Malaysian Sustainable Natural Rubber Guidelines. "Relevant issues that may affect the accuracy of Malaysia's latest forest data submitted for the Global Forest Resources Assessment report to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, which is used in the EUDR risk classification process, are also discussed," he said in a written parliamentary reply. Johari also said recommendations would be submitted to the government regarding compliance measures that need to be implemented by the relevant ministries and agencies. "These strategies reflect our proactive efforts to ensure Malaysia is classified as a low-risk country and demonstrate the Ministry's commitment to keeping the country's agri-commodity products competitive in the EU market," he said. He was responding to Datuk Willie Mongin (GPS–Puncak Borneo), who had asked about the country's response to the EUDR framework and the ministry's strategies to ensure Malaysia achieves low-risk status. Last month, the government formed a Special Committee to spearhead the country's response to the EUDR, aiming to ensure continued access to the EU market and strengthen sustainability compliance across key export sectors. Chaired by Johari, the committee involves three key ministries, including the Plantation and Commodities Ministry, the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry, as well as the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry. Their respective secretaries general will co-chair the working committee. The committee will also act as the central channel for Malaysia's engagement with the European Commission, including the submission of official datasets, policy updates and participation in technical exchanges.
