Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has remanded six company owners found to be involved in the smuggling of electronic waste (e-waste) into the country and frozen 14 accounts amounting to RM7.2 million.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki stated that the commission is in the process of detaining two more company owners suspected of involvement in the same offence, with arrests expected to be made soon. He revealed that seven companies operating in Selangor have been identified as masterminding the entry of e-waste into the country, with two more company owners currently being tracked for further action. Additionally, MACC is conducting investigations into several companies in Negeri Sembilan believed to be involved in similar activities.
Azam explained that preliminary investigations found the activities had been occurring for about five years, with various methods used to smuggle the prohibited items into the country. He clarified that the MACC does not place full blame on customs authorities, as smuggling syndicates are constantly finding ways to bring in e-waste, including mixing the waste with containers of other goods.
He emphasized that national laws clearly prohibit the importation of e-waste and mentioned that MACC would calculate the profits obtained by the companies involved based on the duration of the activities for follow-up action. Azam also highlighted the challenges of enforcement duties, citing that more than 3,000 containers are unloaded at Port Klang in Selangor every month.
In response to this issue, MACC is adopting a new approach by implementing integrated enforcement involving the Royal Malaysian Customs Department and the Department of Environment, focusing on corruption and government revenue leakages. Azam stressed that the e-waste issue is a shared responsibility to prevent Malaysia from becoming a dumping ground for electronic waste that could pollute the environment.
Recently, media reports indicated that MACC would intensify investigations into illegal e-waste importation activities following intelligence that revealed between 2,000 and 3,000 containers of e-waste are smuggled into the country through major ports monthly.