PETALING JAYA: Housing and Local Government deputy minister Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu told the Dewan Rakyat yesterday that through Budget 2025, the ministry has received an allocation of RM1.54 billion to finance solid waste management and public cleansing operations.
This includes garbage collection, public cleaning, enforcement and the clearing of illegal dumpsites in seven states governed under the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act 2007 (Act 672).
The states covered under Act 672 include Perlis, Kedah, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Malacca, Johor and the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
For other states not under Act 672, waste management remains under the purview of the respective state governments, local authorities and related agencies.
Aiman Athirah said services, including cleaning up illegal dumps, are implemented based on referrals from local authorities regardless of whether the sites are within their jurisdiction.
However, she clarified that no special allocations are provided to state governments or other agencies for managing illegal dumping outside of local council areas.
Act 672 also empowers the federal government to enforce actions against illegal dumping in all local authority areas.
The Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) carried out 3,036 operations in 2024 to eliminate illegal dump sites and an additional 2,030 operations up to June 2025, which included prosecution of offenders.
“These integrated actions are part of government efforts to ensure a clean environment for all Malaysians.
“But the responsibility of maintaining cleanliness should not fall on a single party. All stakeholders must come together to ensure a healthy and sustainable environment.”
In response to a question from Merbok MP Tuan Mohd Nazri Abu Hassan on strategies to control illegal dumping by companies, she outlined several key initiatives.
These include collaboration with the Malaysian Space Agency to detect illegal dumping using satellite imagery and geospatial data, the installation of CCTV cameras at illegal dumping hotspots and round-the-clock enforcement by SWCorp officers, involving surveillance and site raids.
Tampin MP Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa raised concerns over waste management in Felda schemes, which are reportedly neglected due to unclear jurisdiction.
He said when local authorities are approached, the common response is that Felda areas fall outside their responsibility.
In response, Aiman Athirah confirmed that Felda areas are not under the jurisdiction of local councils and responsibility cannot be placed solely on one party.
She also said Felda itself should initiate discussions to resolve waste management issues in its schemes.
“As of now, no formal discussions have taken place between the Ministry and Felda,” she said, adding that such engagement could move forward in line with the authority provided under Act 672.