KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is tapping into Japan’s technical expertise to accelerate its transition towards a circular economy and achieve a 53 percent national recycling rate target by 2035.
Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said the renewed partnership, formalised through a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) signed today, builds on more than a decade of successful waste management initiatives between both nations.
"Malaysia greatly appreciates Japan’s longstanding support since 2010. Among the outcomes of this cooperation was the Strategic Plan for Food Waste Management in Malaysia 2010-2016, and the Technical Guidelines for the Selection of Solid Waste Management Technologies in 2023.
"As new priorities emerge, it is timely to renew our cooperation to ensure continuity and further advance our shared objectives in sustainable waste management," he said in a statement here today.
The MoC was inked following a bilateral meeting and courtesy call by Japan’s State Minister of the Environment, Azemoto Shogo, on Nga at the Parliament building here today.
The signing ceremony witnessed by Japan’s Ambassador to Malaysia Shikata Noriyuki, and Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Dr M Noor Azman Taib.
Nga said the ministry is driving a long-term strategy to transform solid waste management, including through the setting up of National Circular Economy Council (NCEC) which introduce circular Economy Blueprint for Solid Waste, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy and the utilisation of Waste-to-Energy (WTE) technology.
He added that both countries share a common objective of developing an efficient waste management ecosystem to promote public well-being, strengthen resource circulation and support the transition towards a low-carbon economy.
"Malaysia has set the goal to achieve carbon neutral economy by 2050 and we looks forward to translating this cooperation into more practical initiatives, particularly through capacity-building programmes, technology transfer and to equip our officials and technical personnel with stronger technical and operational expertise," he added.
-- BERNAMA