In a statement, Senai State Assemblywoman Su Qi Wong called for the decentralisation of waste management in Johor. According to her, the current Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 that supports a Putrajaya-controlled centralised system has not been effective in managing waste in Johor.
Due to this, she proposed that the responsibility of waste management be decentralised and returned to the hands of the local authorities, as the federally regulated system had failed.
Wong said that long-distance management by Putrajaya is not working, as it is out of touch with what is happening in local municipalities.
For instance, she pointed out that there are many unregulated recycling centres set up rampantly with no proper design of drainage to release sewage, the centers also accumulate of flammable materials, which are fire hazards, posing a risk to local residents’ health.
“There were at least three fires reported in recycling business premises that emitted toxic smoke in Senai area in the past six months,”
“Unfortunately, no further actions were taken by related agencies to compound or take action against owners who violate the Act,” she said. adding that currently,
“Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (PPSPPA) has taken over the responsibility of managing solid waste and public cleansing from Johore local authorities since September 2011, hence, it’s disappointing to see no action to enforce the law passed at federal parliament although I am personally against the federalisation of solid waste management,” she explained.
Also, in a written reply to the Senai State Assemblywoman’s question during the last state assembly sitting, the local government department had admitted that they had yet to issue any licenses to recycling business owners in Johore. There are presently 66 recycling businesses recorded in 13 local councils out of 14.
“Most surprisingly, there are only 2 recycling businesses recorded in Kulai Municipal Council while local residents or even passers-by can easily spot quite a number of recycling centres located next to main road or within light-industrial zones,” she said.
Proposing the decentralisation of waste management from the federal to state, Wong called upon the Johor state government to review the failed centralised waste management system and instead draft a better-tailored waste management policy for Johore people. -The Rocket
