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PUTRAJAYA (June 10): More than 1,000 shopping malls nationwide will be equipped with recycling facilities by year end following a Cabinet decision to make such facilities mandatory as part of efforts to strengthen solid waste management and accelerate the country’s transition towards a circular economy.
Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming (pictured) said the decision, agreed by the Cabinet on June 5, reflects the government’s commitment to implementing more progressive, sustainable and high-impact waste management reforms.
He said the government no longer views waste merely as a burden, but as a resource with economic value and potential to contribute to national development.
"The move to make recycling facilities in shopping malls a licensing requirement will facilitate public convenience while strengthening the national sustainability agenda.
"The KPKT (Ministry of Housing and Local Government) aims to make recycling as easy as shopping. With these facilities, consumers and traders can sort and deliver recyclable materials more easily and conveniently," he said in a statement on Wednesday.
Nga said the initiative will not only help reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, but also support the development of a circular economy and promote recycling habits among the public.
According to him, implementation will be carried out in phases through four main stages starting this month to ensure effectiveness and sustainability.
The first phase will focus on approval processes, advocacy, registration on a voluntary basis, and engagement sessions with state governments, local authorities and industry players, in addition to intensifying public awareness programmes on recycling practices.
The second phase, scheduled from January to June 2027, will involve pilot projects in selected local authorities as well as amendments to by-laws to test the system, assess infrastructure needs and gauge public acceptance before nationwide expansion.
The third phase, from July to December 2027, will focus on targeted mandatory enforcement through licensing conditions and guidelines set by local authorities based on pilot project findings.
Full enforcement and continuous monitoring will begin in January 2028 to ensure that recycling facilities become part of the country’s solid waste management ecosystem and circular economy framework.
Malaysia currently generates more than 39,000 tonnes of solid waste daily, and increasing recycling rates could reduce reliance on landfill sites while strengthening more sustainable waste management practices.
Nga said higher recycling rates would not only reduce wastage but also create job opportunities and generate economic value through the circular economy chain.
He said that in addition to 131 drive-through recycling centres and existing recycling facilities, his ministry is also targeting the construction of 18 waste-to-energy facilities to diversify the country’s energy sources and strengthen national energy security and economic resilience.
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