KUALA LUMPUR: A total 110 containers filled with plastic waste will be shipped back to Romania, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Environment and Water Minister Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the relevant process was ongoing to return the containers at the Tanjung Pelepas Port.
"Malaysia will not be a global dumping ground. We take stern action against those who attempt to bring in containers filled with toxic waste or waste that are in violation of the regulations such as plastic and others.
"I have personally gone to the Tanjung Pelepas Port after receiving information about the 110 containers in transit there.
"The ministry was informed in March during the Covid-19 (pandemic). During the Movement Control Order, we detected and returned 13 toxic waste-filled containers and 42 containers filled with plastic waste," he said in reply to a supplementary question by Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman (Pas-Kuala Krai).
He said the plastic waste, weighing 796,553kg, was returned to countries of origin including the United States (21 containers at the Kuching Port; 15 from the Penang Port), United Kingdom (one), Poland (one), South Korea (two) and Vietnam (two).
Tuan Ibrahim earlier said the ministry's jurisdiction covered three main components, namely, environmental resources management, environmental services and ensuring sustainable environment in line with planetary health concepts.