PUTRAJAYA: Waste separation at source will be expanded nationwide, rubbish trucks will gradually switch to electric vehicles, and rubbish collection will increasingly be carried out at night under a major overhaul of Malaysia’s solid waste management system, says Nga Kor Ming.
The Housing and Local Government Minister said the reforms, to be implemented under the 13th Malaysia Plan through the National Public Cleansing Policy, are aimed at raising the country’s recycling rate to match those of developed nations while improving the efficiency of waste collection.
“Rubbish trucks that currently run on fossil fuels, including diesel, will be gradually replaced with electric vehicles.
“Waste collection and cleansing crews will also shift to night operations, ensuring that when Malaysians wake up, the country is already clean,” he said at the pre-launch of National Landscape Day 2026 here yesterday.
Nga also announced that the Cabinet has agreed to amend the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672) and extend its implementation to Selangor.
Previously, it was reported that Selangor announced plans to sign Act 672 by September.
This means Selangor’s 12 local authorities will gradually follow federal standards for waste collection, recycling and public cleansing.
Separately, Nga said the ministry planned to build or upgrade about 100 public parks this year after exceeding its previous target by completing 217 parks over the past two years.
He added that the initiative formed part of the ministry’s goal of developing 1,000 Taman Awam Madani nationwide by 2033 at an estimated cost of RM500mil.
“We have allocated around RM500,000 for each Taman Awam Madani. For 1,000 parks, the total investment will be about RM500mil to create highly impactful public recreational spaces.”
He said neighbourhood parks played a big role in encouraging healthier lifestyles as Malaysia continues to grapple with high obesity and diabetes rates.
Nga described the initiative as a strategic investment that could help reduce future healthcare costs while improving the quality of life for communities.
Earlier, Nga launched National Landscape Day 2026, which will be held from Aug 6 to 9 at Stadium Hang Jebat in Melaka.
Carrying the theme “Sustainable Landscape, Malaysia Madani”, the event aimed to promote nature-based tourism and environmental sustainability.
Nga said the landscape industry has also emerged as an economic contributor, with Malaysia recording RM534.3mil in landscape exports last year to markets including Singapore, Japan, Australia and the United States.
