Latest news with #NikAhmad
The Star
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
M'sia reaffirms strong waste stance
Nation committed to addressing its movement and disposal, says Nik Nazmi PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has reaffirmed its strong stance on controlling the transboundary movement and disposal of hazardous waste at the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS COPs), held from April 28 to May 9 in Geneva, Switzerland, says Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad ( pic ). The Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister said Malaysia's participation in the summits reflected its firm commitment to address the movement and disposal of hazardous waste. 'As a developing nation, Malaysia has consistently been active and vocal in voicing its position at the negotiation table, particularly on the control of hazardous waste and chemical imports into the country. This meeting also served as the first platform for Malaysia to represent Asean's voice – that Asean is not the world's dumping ground for toxic, problematic or hard-to-recycle waste,' he said in a statement yesterday, Bernama reported. The BRS COPs consist of three key multilateral environmental agreements that govern the management of hazardous chemicals and waste. The Basel Convention focuses on reducing the generation of hazardous waste and regulating its cross-border movement. The Rotterdam Convention oversees international trade in hazardous chemicals, while the Stockholm Convention addresses the control of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Nik Nazmi said he exchanged views with his counterparts from other member states on the impact of poorly regulated hazardous chemicals and waste, particularly in relation to climate change and biodiversity loss. He also held bilateral talks with Qatar's Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Dr Abdullah Abdulaziz Turki Al Subaie, to explore potential cooperation through a memorandum of understanding in environmental protection and climate change. 'I also held a brief meeting with representatives of the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty and the executive secretary of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, to discuss ways to finalise and implement the Global Plastics Treaty in a fair, effective and practical manner,' he added. Nik Nazmi said Malaysia will continue its collaboration with the Basel Action Network (BAN) and reaffirmed its commitment to combat the illegal import of e-waste and plastic waste, especially from developed countries. 'My discussion with BAN executive director and founder Jim Puckett focused on Malaysia's efforts to intercept and return illegal waste shipments, and the importance of cooperation in information sharing and regional enforcement,' he said. He emphasised the need for Malaysia to maintain an active role at the international level to safeguard national interests in addressing environmental pollution, especially in the control of the movement of hazardous waste and chemical imports. 'Such commitments ensure Malaysia remains focused on key negotiation issues and continues to stay on the right path in protecting both human well-being and the environment,' he said.
The Star
16-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Putrajaya seeks Asean action on e-waste smuggling
PUTRAJAYA: The issue of rising e-waste smuggling and dumping in the region will be raised by Malaysia with Asean. Besides Malaysia, smuggling and dumping of such e-waste had been detected in Indonesia and the Philippines, says Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (pic). 'Malaysia should not be a rubbish bin for e-waste,' said the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister. 'When China tightened its borders and imposed a ban on e-waste imports, this region became a dumping ground. 'We want to bring this up with Asean,' he said in an interview yesterday. Media reports have highlighted that Malaysia remains a dumping ground for e-waste from developed nations like the United States, Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom. In March, Nik Nazmi told Parliament that 15,764.9 metric tonnes of e-waste were seized from 47 premises nationwide during Ops Hazard in February. On a related note, he said his ministry was looking at delegating powers of enforcement and investigations to the police. 'We are working on delegating powers under the Environmental Quality Act to the police so they can take action against illegal e-waste dumping,' he said. He said this included the use of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 to crack down on such activities. He added that the ministry will also work closely with the Customs Department to address the issue.
The Sun
25-04-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Malaysia well-positioned to drive decarbonisation in global aviation: Nik Nazmi
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia stands to be the future global hub for clean aviation fuel as there is a growing global urgency for decarbonisation and Malaysia's untapped potential. Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said with global aviation shifting towards green solutions, Malaysia is seizing the opportunity to lead by building on its strengths in logistics, infrastructure, and policy. 'I urge Malaysian entities to step up and explore synergistic collaborations that will strengthen Malaysia's position in the global green energy landscape,' he said during the signing ceremony between Bin Zayed International (M) Bhd (BZI) and Malaysia-based FatHopes Energy (FHE) today. BZI and FHE have affirmed their commitment to invest RM2.19 billion (US$500 million) to develop the world's first integrated sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) refinery in Port Klang. According to Nik Nazmi, the strategic partnership between BZI and FHE signals Malaysia's emergence as a significant player in the global clean energy and low-carbon economy. 'The development of a world-scale SAF refinery in Malaysia is of immense strategic importance. This investment will serve as a catalyst for far-reaching transformation across our energy and aviation sectors.' Nik Nazmi said that by reducing reliance on imported SAF and unlocking Malaysia's potential as a regional producer and exporter, the country is paving the way for a more self-reliant and competitive green economy. This project addresses one of the most pressing challenges – decarbonising the aviation sector, he added. 'The development of the SAF refinery will contribute meaningfully to decarbonise the aviation sector, enabling the aviation company to meet their emissions reduction target, supporting energy transition and contributing towards Malaysia's net-zero aspiration,' Nik Nazmi said. BZI managing director and Bin Zayed (S) Pte Ltd executive director Datuk Seri Shamir Kumar Nandy said the partnership with FHE is more than a business venture. 'It is a statement of our long-term commitment to Malaysia and the region. We believe this project can anchor Malaysia's leadership in the global SAF economy while supporting regional decarbonisation goals and ESG-aligned industrial growth,' he said. Although the percentage of equity BZI will hold in FHE is still being finalised, Shamir Kumar confirmed that the company will be underwriting the full RM2.19 billion cost of the refinery. 'We are fully committed to getting this refinery up and running – whatever it takes. With solid financial backing, we are moving forward confidently, driven by our belief in the project's long-term sustainability and commercial potential,' he said. Construction is expected to begin within the next 12 months, pending regulatory approvals and environmental clearances. The project targets a final investment decision by mid-2026, with commercial operations set to begin by 2029. According to FHE CEO Vinesh Sinha, the refinery, which is currently in the feasibility stage, could produce up to 300,000 tons of SAF annually. This will require an estimated 330,000 tonnes of feedstock, predominantly waste-based oils such as used cooking oil and other residual fats, sourced through FHE's extensive network across Southeast Asia and India. The refinery will adopt a multi-feedstock approach, supported by FHE's proprietary digital traceability platform that ensures supply chain integrity and emissions transparency from collection to production. 'This is not just about building a plant. It is about creating an ecosystem that transforms waste into value, enables industrial decarbonisation, and propels Malaysia into the next era of clean aviation,' Vinesh said. Malaysia's domestic feedstock alone would not be sufficient to sustain the plant's operations, he added, hence the importance of regional sourcing. 'Malaysia is a small country in terms of population, and we do not generate the required volume of waste oils locally. Our supply chain has grown over the last 15 years to cover most of Southeast Asia and parts of India,' he said. Vinesh acknowledged the project will face technical and regulatory challenges, including major infrastructure upgrades at Port Klang and securing key inputs such as hydrogen and nitrogen. 'As the first facility of its kind in Malaysia and the region, we're working closely with authorities to chart the way forward,' he said. While the long-term vision is for SAF to be produced in Port Klang to serve Malaysia's domestic aviation sector, he said the refinery is being designed with flexibility in mind to accommodate both local and export markets. 'We are hopeful that Malaysia will adopt stronger SAF mandates, which would allow all the fuel to be consumed locally. But initially, we will balance domestic supply with export demand, depending on policy frameworks and offtake agreements.' While the long-term goal is to serve Malaysia's domestic SAF demand, contingent on future government mandates, Vinesh said the facility will initially balance both local and export markets, adjusting as the regulatory environment evolves. 'If the 47% mandate comes into play, we could see all of it used domestically.'
