KLANG: Over 1,000 containers of illegal waste are expected to be exported out of Malaysia by the end of the year, says the Border Control and Protection Agency (Border Control).
Port Klang Border Control commander Deputy Comm Datuk Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal, speaking at the Customs Department headquarters here on Friday (Aug 14), said the agency has already returned 255 containers of waste to date.
“By the end of the year, we aim to send back 1,259 containers. For phase two, we are aiming to send back 533 containers, and the remaining ones we plan to process starting Oct 1 as part of phase three.
“Phase three is the final phase and will deal with the backlog of containers,” he said, adding that about eight million kilograms of waste are still being held by Border Control.
He added that no waste containers returned to their origin countries have been re-imported into Malaysia.
“There are containers we returned that we later detected entering the country again, but they were carrying different items. We have a record system that we cross-reference," he said.
Addressing scanner efficiency, Nik Ezanee said the equipment was functioning as expected, while acknowledging the human element involved in inspections.
"The scanners are functioning well and we conduct training for our officers from time to time. I do not deny there are weaknesses here and there, but we will never stop improving and striving to do better," he said.
