Latest news with #SyaifulAzmen
The Star
20-07-2025
- General
- The Star
Instilling green leadership qualities via clean-up efforts
Syaiful Azmen says certain types of rubbish are more effectively reduced via community efforts. With seven log booms and two RM5mil rubbish collection vessels at their disposal, one may think that the company appointed by Selangor government to clean the 56km Sungai Klang will have little need for volunteers to come in and remove rubbish by hand. However, Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB) managing director Syaiful Azmen Nordin said certain types of rubbish were more effectively reduced by community efforts in comparison to mechanical equipment. 'While our river cleaning assets such as The Interceptor and log booms are highly effective in collecting floating debris, there are limitations to what machinery can access. A volunteer helping to extract small items like plastic bottles from hard-to-reach areas at the mangroves along Sungai Klang. 'Certain types of waste, especially those that are trapped in mangrove forests, entangled along riverbanks or stuck near fishermen villages require manual removal. 'This is where community involvement becomes invaluable. People are able to extract both small items like plastic bottles, polystyrene boxes, slippers, sports balls and bulky waste like car parts, furniture, tree branches, even discarded fridges, from hard-to-reach areas,' he said. Syaiful Azmen added that in comparison, out of the 92,000 million tonnes of waste collected via mechanical means, waste removed during community clean-ups amounted to about 19.9 million tonnes or less than 0.03% of the total. However, this does not lessen the community efforts' importance. In fact, these community efforts go beyond cleaning, said Syaiful Azmen, adding that there were platforms to nurture environmental leadership. 'Participants become what we call 'river ambassadors' and often continue to advocate for river and environmental protection in their own circles. 'We do not just clean rivers, we build environmental stewards of tomorrow,' he added. LLSB began structured community clean-up efforts in 2019, but saw a significant surge in traction and interest from 2023 onwards, with support from non-governmental organisations, government agencies, corporate partners, universities, schools and youth organisations. As of June 2025, 44 community clean-up programmes, including mangrove tree planting initiatives involving 3,398 volunteers, have been organised. These efforts have led to the removal of 19,931kg of waste from the mangrove forest, riverbanks and surrounding areas and the planting of 3,480 mangrove saplings as part of corporate social responsibility activities. The largest event to date was in 2023, when 500 youths were hosted in a single mangrove rehabilitation programme. 'It is important to remember that waste originates from land-based human activity, not the ocean, therefore stopping it at source is key. 'Our continuous public engagement, especially with schools, universities and the youths, has played a huge role in changing mindsets. 'These clean-up initiatives act as powerful educational tools, helping people understand that preserving our rivers directly impacts our own water security and health,' said Syaiful Azmen.
The Sun
03-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
4,000kg plastic waste collected from river since December
KLANG: Malaysia's first high-tech river plastic waste sorting facility in Sungai Klang has collected some 4,000kg of plastic since beginning operations in December last year. The RM1.5 million facility, a collaboration between Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) master developer Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB) and environmental non-profit The Ocean Cleanup, was fully funded by Coca-Cola Malaysia. LLSB managing director Syaiful Azmen Nordin said the facility has the capacity to sort up to 10,000kg of waste per day. He said the initiative is expected to reduce reliance on landfills and improve the management of marine waste in a more sustainable way. 'Our target is 20% of the waste we collect from the Klang River will not end up in landfills. 'At the very least, we can extract and recover plastic and manage it responsibly,' Syaiful Azmen said after the official launch of the facility at Taman Pengkalan Batu yesterday. Also present were Klang Royal City Council Mayor Datuk Abd Hamid Hussain and Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Ching Thoo. Syaiful Azmen said there is a need to establish similar facilities along the 100km-long Klang River, including in Shah Alam. 'Previously, waste collected from the river went straight to a landfill. Now, with support from Ocean Cleanup, Coca-Cola and the J&K Wonderland Foundation, we are finding better ways to manage river waste.' 'With this facility, we can extract plastics, which form the bulk of river waste, and work with local recyclers to ensure they are reused. 'There is also organic waste, so we are collaborating with the Klang council to explore sustainable disposal methods for that too,' he added. In his keynote speech, Abd Hamid said the facility aligns with the circular economy approach by creating a dedicated space to systematically separate and process plastic and organic waste. 'This not only reduces landfill dependence but also lowers carbon emissions and water pollution. 'The facility contributes to environmental conservation while providing real benefits to the local community. 'It helps reduce marine waste, boosts recycling efficiency and creates stable job opportunities for residents,' he said.
The Sun
17-06-2025
- The Sun
Bodies, waste hinder Klang River flood project progress
SHAH ALAM: In addition to the challenge of removing 94,000 metric tonnes of waste from Sungai Klang, the flood mitigation project under the Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) initiative has also uncovered more than 10 bodies, including that of an infant, since its implementation began in November 2022. Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB) managing director, Syaiful Azmen Nordin said three bodies were discovered over three consecutive days in the Kota Kemuning area in May, which forced excavation and river-deepening works to be temporarily halted. 'So far, we have handed over more than 10 bodies, including an infant, to the police and fire department for further investigation. 'Typically, the bodies are found in good condition and largely intact despite being unclothed, including the infant, who was discovered inside an interceptor designed to trap surface debris,' he said. Speaking to reporters after visiting the flood mitigation project site in Kota Kemuning on Monday (June 16), Syaiful Azmen said the company works closely with police and fire authorities to conduct site investigations, in part to ensure halted works can resume as soon as possible. He added that aside from the discovery of bodies, the project implementation team also faces the challenge of severe river pollution, having encountered various large discarded items such as refrigerators, lorry tyres, sofas, beds, mattresses and motorcycles at the bottom of Sungai Klang. He noted that these discoveries – both bodies and waste – have somewhat disrupted or slowed the ongoing dredging and river-deepening operations. 'Nonetheless, these findings will not break our spirit in completing the mission to widen and deepen Sungai Klang, with the aim of increasing water capacity by at least 40 per cent by the end of this year,' he said.
The Sun
17-06-2025
- The Sun
SMG Project uncovers over 10 bodies in Sungai Klang, including infant
SHAH ALAM: In addition to the challenge of removing 94,000 metric tonnes of waste from Sungai Klang, the flood mitigation project under the Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) initiative has also uncovered more than 10 bodies, including that of an infant, since its implementation began in November 2022. Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB) managing director, Syaiful Azmen Nordin said three bodies were discovered over three consecutive days in the Kota Kemuning area in May, which forced excavation and river-deepening works to be temporarily halted. 'So far, we have handed over more than 10 bodies, including an infant, to the police and fire department for further investigation. 'Typically, the bodies are found in good condition and largely intact despite being unclothed, including the infant, who was discovered inside an interceptor designed to trap surface debris,' he said. Speaking to reporters after visiting the flood mitigation project site in Kota Kemuning on Monday (June 16), Syaiful Azmen said the company works closely with police and fire authorities to conduct site investigations, in part to ensure halted works can resume as soon as possible. He added that aside from the discovery of bodies, the project implementation team also faces the challenge of severe river pollution, having encountered various large discarded items such as refrigerators, lorry tyres, sofas, beds, mattresses and motorcycles at the bottom of Sungai Klang. He noted that these discoveries – both bodies and waste – have somewhat disrupted or slowed the ongoing dredging and river-deepening operations. 'Nonetheless, these findings will not break our spirit in completing the mission to widen and deepen Sungai Klang, with the aim of increasing water capacity by at least 40 per cent by the end of this year,' he said.
New Straits Times
16-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
SMG flood mitigation project increases Klang river capacity by 18pct
SHAH ALAM: A major flood mitigation initiative under the Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) project has successfully increased the Klang River's water capacity by 18 per cent, covering a 31km stretch from the river mouth to the Petaling Jaya-Kuala Lumpur border. Syaiful Azmen Nordin, managing director of Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated) appointed as the master developer of the SMG project, said the improved river section spans two of four key project blocks - from the Shah Alam-Klang border to the Shah Alam-Puchong border, and from the river mouth to Bandar Klang - identified as Blocks 3 and 1, respectively. He said the state government, through its agencies, is targeting a total increase of at least 40 per cent in river capacity by the end of this year after past data revealed that Klang River, especially in Selangor, could not accommodate upstream water overflow during heavy rains. "Block 3, which covers flood-prone areas such as Sri Muda, Kota Kemuning, Section 17, and Section 24, requires special attention, as these are the most affected zones in recent flood events," he told reporters after a site visit to the flood mitigation project in Kota Kemuning yesterday. The river widening and dredging works for the remaining two blocks - from Bandar Klang to Bandar Sultan Sulaiman (Block 2), and from the Shah Alam-Puchong border to Petaling Jaya-Kuala Lumpur (Block 4) - will begin next year, covering an additional 28.8km. Syaiful Azmen said construction on Blocks 1 and 3 is expected to be completed by year-end, after which a two-year enhancement and monitoring phase will begin, also managed by LLSB. To date, around 94,000 tonnes of waste have been extracted from the river, at an estimated handling cost of RM20 million, he said. "That RM20 million could've been used for other development initiatives, if only there was greater public awareness about river cleanliness," he added. — BERNAMA
