PUTRAJAYA: A large-scale, integrated operation will be carried out on electronic waste (e-waste) already in the country, with Tan Sri Azam Baki warning that current findings are only the “tip of the iceberg”.
The operation will be led by the Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department (KDNKA).
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner said enforcement would target e-waste that has already passed through ports and is currently at factories and other premises nationwide.
“This issue is not just environmental, it is an economic crime and a matter of national sovereignty,” he said during the Multi-Agency Task Force (MATF): Way Forward engagement session at the MACC headquarters here on Thursday (April 2).
Azam said investigations under Ops Metal revealed that Malaysia had been used as a dumping ground for illegal waste from abroad, involving document falsification, cargo misdeclaration and abuse of import licences.
He added that elements of corruption within enforcement had enabled containers to pass through entry points without proper inspection.
Azam also said more than 800 e-waste containers remain stranded at Port Klang, with disposal efforts ongoing, including repatriation to source countries and lawful disposal involving multiple agencies.
He said monitoring would be expanded to other ports, including Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Johor and Pahang, amid concerns of continued smuggling attempts.
On plastic waste, Azam said engagements would be held with relevant agencies to assess the necessity and quota for imports.
The government has also imposed a total ban on e-waste imports, effective Thursday, under the Customs (Prohibition of Imports) (Amendment) (No. 3) Order 2026.
