Penang: The Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) is set to appoint a company to evaluate the waste management and public cleansing system in Penang. This decision follows the Cabinet’s preliminary approval for Selangor and Penang to adopt the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow stated that discussions about Act 672 have been ongoing for almost a year with the Federal Government. With the Cabinet’s decision, SWCorp will move forward by appointing a company to review the existing waste management systems in Penang. This review aims to assess the costs involved, as financial considerations are crucial in the potential takeover of waste management services.

Chow further explained that Penang has submitted specific conditions to the Federal Government, which need to be addressed before the official adoption of the Act. The matter is currently under negotiation, with expectations to finalize details within the year. Once negotiations are complete, the results will return to the Cabinet for approval, and if conditions are met, the formal adoption of the Act will proceed, and relevant companies will be appointed.

Last week, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming announced that the Cabinet had agreed in principle to include Selangor and Penang in adopting Act 672. The Act aims to create uniformity in the laws regulating solid waste management and public cleansing, and detailed negotiations are underway to finalize its implementation.