KUALA LUMPUR: The government will introduce more than 40 new provisions in a bill to replace the existing Environmental Quality Act 1974.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the bill would feature more than 90 sections compared to 50 sections in the Act.
“Hopefully, there will be more things that the Attorney-General (AG) wants to add in the bill," he told the New Straits Times today.
Wan Junaidi said the proposed provisions would be comprehensive and covered the latest environmental concerns such as oil spills, factory site planning and regulations against illegal factories.
He said when the new law came into force, it would have implications on the economy and industries.
“The bill has been in discussion since 2015 and is now in the final stages of scrutiny at the ministry- level,
“But, it must be looked through thoroughly by the AG before it is presented to the Cabinet," he said.
Earlier today, Department of Environment director-general Datuk Dr Ahmad Kamarulnajuib Che Ibrahim said it was necessary to have a new law in view of the complexity of current environmental problems.
"Environmental issues have become more complex with rapid changes in the economy and emergence of many new pollutants," he said in Kuantan, Pahang.
Kamarulnajuib said the present Environmental Quality Act was insufficient to deal with the new and complex environmental issues.
Reported by: FARHANA SYED NOKMAN, AINA NASA AND TEH ATHIRA YUSOF