KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia should see China's experience in dealing with environmental problems as a lesson, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Mah Siew Keong.
He said that Malaysia could learn from China as the country did not curb environmental problems from the start.
"When I was in China recently, they were telling me the cost they had to pay and expenses made to reduce environmental problems.
"The cleaning up cost to environmental issues is so much more expensive if compared to when they had done it earlier," he said.
Mah added that the country should start curbing environmental issues now, rather than later.
"Therefore, I think that industrial projects, should give full consideration to the environment and not cause extra problems.
He was speaking before awarding winners of the 2015 ASEAN Green Award (AGA), today to which Malaysia was the second runner-up in the Grand Award.
The second runner-up, Universiti of Tunku Abdul Rahman assistant professor Dr. Sumathi Sethupathi won for her prominent research outcome in converting solid waste from fishery industry to value added products used to remove oily residue in the wastewater generated by palm oil industry.
AGA is a cooperation between Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce and ASEAN Academy of Engineering and Technology.