Electric garbage trucks will be deployed at major tourist destinations in Kuala Lumpur such as Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Alor to modernise public cleansing and cut carbon emissions, says housing and local government minister Nga Kor Ming.
Nga said the initiative by the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation was part of a broader reform under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), aimed at achieving zero carbon emissions by 2035.
The initiative will include midnight cleaning shifts to avoid disrupting traffic, as well as weather-friendly operations and “deep cleansing” with water jets for dust-free streets.
“We will start with tourist destinations, as next year is Visit Malaysia 2026. The initial focus will be on strategic locations in the capital such as Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan Alor, and other key areas,” Nga said after launching the ministry’s Semarak Jiwa Merdeka campaign here today.
Nga said the midnight cleaning programme, to be piloted in high-traffic tourist areas in preparation for Visit Malaysia Year 2026, had proven successful in several developed cities in China such as Shanghai and Shenzhen.
On July 31, he said in Parliament that the 13MP would introduce major changes to the national cleaning system, including the use of electric vehicles for night cleaning and dust-free road initiatives.
