Solid waste managment: new scheme for contractors

A seminar titled ” Preparing Towards The National Privatisation of Solid Waste and Urban Cleansing Management By Solid Waste Management (SWM) Contractors” was held here yesterday.

Present at the seminar were assistant state secretary for local government, Ropie Sabari, group general manager of SWM Environment Sdn. Bhd, Adnan Ibrahim, president of the Johor Bumiputera Cleaning and Solid Waste Management Contractors Association,(PERKON), Noordin A. Latif and Regional Manager of SWM Johor, Lim Cheng Seng.

The state assembly person for Tanjung Puteri, Adam Sumiru urged all SWM contractors to be fully prepared in anticipation of the impending approval and implementation of the Solid Waste and Urban Cleaning Management Act 2007 (Act 672).

He said that parliament approving the Act is a clear indication of the government seriousness in overcoming the challenges in the management of the solid waste faced by the country.

Adam said that he was once the party whip in the Johor Bahru city council and he is well aware of the many constraints faced by SWM and its contractors due to the interim contractual agreement that kept renewing for the last thirteen years.

“All parties need to co-operate and work together including the public so as not to blame one another,”

“There are just so many issues related to garbage and solid waste that need to be addressed nationally ranging from littering problem to illegal waste dumping”, said Adam.

As such, he said, the government hope to resolve these problems and to improve on the standard of solid waste management and cleaning in the country.

He reiterated by saying that when the Solid Waste and Urban Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672) is approved and comes into effect, the responsibilities of solid waste and public cleaning management currently undertaken by the local councils will then be taken over by the federal government through a new government set-up named Waste Management and Public Cleaning Corporation.

Adam said, he believed that the new corporation with the full authority vested by the Act will be able to implement and standardised various policies and strategies more effectively which also includes law enforcement.

In conclusion, he said, all these measures will ensure that we have a cleaner, healthier and better living environment.