Melaka: The construction of a waste-to-energy (WTE) plant at the Sungai Udang Sanitary Landfill is expected to begin mid-year. Housing, Local Government, Drainage, Climate Change and Disaster Management senior state executive councillor Datuk Rais Yasin announced that all necessary project implementation procedures, including budget approval, have been finalized at the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) level. The project is currently under discussion at the Public Private Partnership Unit (UKAS), Prime Minister’s Department.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Rais stated that significant progress on the WTE construction is anticipated by mid-year. The project, which has been long awaited, is receiving prioritization from KPKT to expedite its implementation. The federal government has already approved the budget, and a project contractor has been appointed, though bureaucratic challenges have delayed the construction start.
Rais made these remarks after officiating the You Recycle, We Pay Programme, an initiative by the Melaka Historic City Council (MBMB), where MBMB Mayor Datuk Shadan Othman was also present. The state government is also working with KPKT on several initiatives to enhance solid waste management efficiency for public convenience.
One key initiative involves constructing a new disposal cell at the Sungai Udang Sanitary Landfill, funded by the federal government with over RM40 million. This site will focus on waste disposal for the construction, industrial, commercial, and institutional sectors, potentially extending the landfill’s lifespan and ensuring adequate waste management for Melaka.
Plans are also underway to convert the Sungai Udang Sanitary Landfill into an Integrated Waste Management Facility for Melaka, centralizing all waste handling operations. Rais noted that, according to Southern Waste Management (SWM) Melaka, the landfill received an average of 245,370.54 tonnes of waste up to December last year.
He encouraged Melaka residents to engage in recycling programs like MBMB’s You Recycle, We Pay initiative, which began in 2023 and has collected 111.75 tonnes of recyclable materials to date.