PUTRAJAYA: All shopping malls nationwide will be required to have recycling facilities starting Jan 1 next year, failing which their business licences will not be approved, said Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming.
He said the move is part of efforts to intensify the “trash to cash” and “waste to energy” agenda under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s call to increase the recycling rate in Malaysia.
“We will enhance drive-thru recycling centres, and I am pleased to announce that from Jan 1, 2026, all shopping malls nationwide must have recycling facilities.
“Without them, business licences will not be approved,” he said after launching the Semarak Jiwa Merdeka @ KPKT programme yesterday.
Nga said the measure would be supported by the nationwide implementation of separation at source.
He added that the European Union’s recycling rate is about 65% and Malaysia must “catch up” to that level.
Under 13MP, the ministry would also step up public awareness campaigns promoting the “rethink, reuse, reduce, recycle” concept, starting with educating schoolchildren.
On waste-to-energy development, Nga said Malaysia would adopt the most advanced and proven technologies from abroad to ensure sustainable operations.
He cited the Ladang Merah project in Port Dickson, which currently generates enough energy from waste to supply 15,000 homes.
“Imagine if every state had a waste-to-energy plant. Hundreds of thousands of homes would no longer rely on coal, but on electricity generated from the solid waste we have thrown away.
“This is a clear policy direction, and we will implement it to ensure Malaysia Madani: Rakyat Disantuni.”
Nga also outlined other planned public cleansing reforms under 13MP, which would be implemented through the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation and the National Solid Waste Management Department.
The initiatives include introducing an electric vehicle fleet for garbage trucks to move towards a zero-carbon economy by 2035, launching night cleaning operations at strategic locations to avoid traffic disruption and suit Malaysia’s climate and carrying out “deep cleansing” in high-priority areas using water jets for dust-free cleaning.
He said waste collection frequency would also be increased, from two or three times a week to four times, while more recycling facilities would be set up in commercial and public areas.
The first phase of night cleaning would begin as a pilot project in key tourism zones, ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026. Locations under consideration include Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Alor in Kuala Lumpur.
“This method has proven successful in developed cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen.
“Workers will avoid the sun, work in cooler conditions, and most importantly, not disrupt traffic in tourist areas,” Nga said, adding that he would personally go to the ground with workers during the rollout.
On housing reform, Nga said the ministry has been entrusted to deliver one million affordable homes within 10 years under 13MP, with a focus on Perumahan Madani projects that are sustainable and inclusive.
He also said the ministry’s goal is to ensure every Malaysian can own a quality home.
Earlier in his speech, Nga also urged civil servants to uphold the spirit of independence and unity beyond August.