KUALA LUMPUR: Starting this month, shopping malls nationwide will be required in phases to provide recycling facilities in their premises to obtain business licences, says the Housing and Local Government Ministry.
It said enforcement will be carried out in stages before expanding into mandatory compliance involving all shopping malls nationwide.
“The initiative’s implementation will begin with an engagement phase and awareness programmes to encourage voluntary participation among shopping mall operators, followed by pilot projects in selected local authorities to assess the effectiveness of the implementation mechanism,” the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry added that the matter will also be brought before the National Council for Local Government for consideration to ensure comprehensive coordination at the state government and local authority levels.
“Malaysia generates more than 39,000 tonnes of solid waste daily.
“A more comprehensive approach is therefore needed to increase the national recycling rate, support the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and reduce dependence on landfill sites,” it said.
Apart from supporting the national recycling rate target, the ministry said the establishment of recycling facilities will help strengthen urban solid waste management.
It will also improve city sustainability scores under the MURNInets assessment system.
“The public will also have the opportunity to generate income through “trash-to-cash” programmes by sending recyclable materials to designated facilities,” it said.
Meanwhile, Minister Nga Kor Ming said a total of 1,576 troubled and abandoned housing projects nationwide had successfully been revived since 2023.
He said the rescue involved more than 188,525 housing units with a combined gross development value (GDV) of RM148.21bil.
The achievement reflected the government’s commitment to protecting homebuyers, he said during the groundbreaking ceremony of the KL360 development here yesterday.
He also encouraged prospective homebuyers to use the Teduh portal to check the status of developers and housing projects before signing any purchase agreements.
Nga said the revival of the KL360 project demonstrated what could be achieved through collaboration between the government, financial institutions and the private sector.
The project was formerly known as M101 Skywheel, a RM1.5bil landmark development comprising 1,511 units within a proposed 79-storey tower featuring a shopping mall and a Ferris wheel at its peak.
However, the project stalled following a combination of challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic, prolonged construction delays and post-pandemic financial constraints.
As a result, 337 purchasers were affected, involving sale and purchase agreements worth more than RM306mil.
Nga said GD Properties stepped in as a “white knight” developer to rescue the project, with a comprehensive rehabilitation scheme receiving approval from the majority of buyers before being endorsed by the High Court in 2024.
The redeveloped KL360 project will comprise 785 serviced apartment units, 221 office suites and commercial units, as well as 40 lifestyle facilities featuring 16 themed concepts.
