KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — Malaysia is seeing a steady rise in electronic waste (e-waste) generation consistent with the country’s growing dependence on digital devices, the Department of Environment (DOE) said today.
Its director-general, Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar, revealed that from January 1, 2021, to June 30 this year, a total of 536,709 metric tonnes of e-waste were processed by licensed facilities nationwide.
“If e-waste is not properly managed and is disposed of indiscriminately, it can have serious implications for human health and the environment,” he said during the department’s media engagement session today.
To improve e-waste management, Wan Abdul Latiff said the number of licensed recovery facilities has been expanded to 128, public awareness campaigns have been strengthened, and enforcement against unlicensed handlers has been intensified through special operations codenamed “Ops Hazard.”
The director-general also issued a strong call for state governments, local councils, and land offices to crack down on illegal factories and unauthorised waste dumping sites.
He said many illegal factories continue to operate unchecked until they cause significant environmental harm.
“These operations should be shut down early, not after pollution has already occurred. The same applies to illegal dumpsites that catch fire,” he asserted.
When asked, Wan Abdul Latiff explained that the DOE does not have complete records on the number of illegal factories, as many are only detected during monitoring activities or through intelligence provided by other agencies.
He highlighted the scale of the challenge, noting that in one recent integrated operation, 90 per cent of the 122 factories raided were found to be operating illegally.
Wan Abdul Latiff also shed light on the manpower shortages hindering the department’s enforcement capabilities.
“Right now, we have only 1,113 officers for all of Malaysia, and we are expected to monitor everything. But with our current staffing levels, it’s just not feasible,” he said, explaining that his officers are responsible for a wide range of environmental issues beyond just air pollution.
He confirmed that the DOE has formally submitted a request to the Public Services Department for the creation of up to 3,000 new positions to address this shortfall.
