Kuala Lumpur: The government is considering introducing national-level legislation under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) to tackle plastic waste pollution, said Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. He stated that the initiative is part of the ministry’s broader efforts to manage plastic waste more sustainably.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, current legal controls and enforcement related to plastic waste are limited to local authorities (PBT) and do not form a comprehensive policy. Minister Nik Nazmi emphasized that reliance on laws or regulations at the PBT level is inadequate. Therefore, the ministry is exploring the possibility of implementing national legislation under the 13MP. These remarks were made during the launch of the Mobula 8 Waste Collection Vessel.

Minister Nik Nazmi also revealed that plastic waste pollution will be a topic of discussion during Malaysia’s 2025 ASEAN chairmanship. He noted that besides Malaysia, countries like Indonesia and the Philippines have been dealing with an increase in plastic waste imports since China changed its policy in January 2018 to restrict the purchase of nearly all plastic waste. This matter is expected to be addressed at the ASEAN level, as it is a regional concern.

The minister expressed his gratitude for the Mobula 8 Waste Collection Vessel, donated by The SeaCleaners, a Swiss non-governmental organisation, to the Marine Research Foundation. This initiative is part of ongoing efforts to mitigate the severe impact of plastic pollution in Malaysia. The vessel is set to be deployed in Kota Kinabalu soon. Additionally, a similar cleanup effort is underway by the NGO The Ocean Cleanup, in collaboration with the Selangor government, targeting the pollution in Sungai Klang.