JOHOR BAHRU, Oct 3 (Bernama) -- The Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) hopes that the allocation under Budget 2027 will be increased to further strengthen its services.
Its chairman, Hee Loy Sian, said the increase was important in line with efforts to protect the environment, address pollution issues and ensure that solid waste management is carried out in a more systematic and organised manner.
He said SWCorp, which is under the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT), received RM1.5 billion from the government this year to carry out solid waste management and public cleansing operations in seven states, including Johor, under Act 672.
“We hope that other states such as Selangor, Penang, Perak, Terengganu and Kelantan will also adopt this Act so that we can oversee all 12 states, with public cleansing and waste management entirely coming under KPKT in the future. As such, we hope the allocation will be increased,” he said at a press conference after officiating the Urban Community Sustainability Programme (PKKB): MADANI Community Carnival at Taman Bistari Perdana here today.
Also present was Johor SWCorp director Zainal Fitri Ahmad.
Hee said this when asked to comment on expectations for Budget 2027, which will be tabled on Oct 9.
He said systematic and efficient solid waste management and public cleansing would ensure that the environment is properly maintained.
“If waste is not properly managed, it will cause problems to the environment, including possible river pollution caused by illegal dumpsites that are not properly managed. Water can flow from these sites and eventually contaminate rivers, which are sources of water, as well as the air,” he added.
When asked about the haze, Hee reminded the public not to carry out open burning while the country is experiencing haze, adding that SWCorp is working with the Department of Environment (DOE) to curb such activities.
Meanwhile, he said the PKKB initiative implemented at Taman Bistari Perdana aims to strengthen community participation in cultivating a culture of cleanliness, waste management and environmental sustainability.
He said the changes brought about through the PKKB initiative should be translated into consistent daily practices, while expressing hope that such programmes would continue to serve as a platform uniting the community, the government and industry in driving continuous change and realising the Johor Clean City 2030 agenda.
-- BERNAMA