KUCHING: Waste these days are no longer regarded as unwanted or unusable materials as they can become a form of resource. Trienekens Sarawak group chief executive officer Stephen Chin said the waste management industry has evolved from the 3R approach (reduce, reuse, and recycle) to 6R (rethink, reuse, recycle, repair, reduce and refuse) and the circular economy, which is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. “We talk about waste management and today, we are into resource management where waste is no longer seen as waste, but a form of resource,” he said at Sarawak Wastes Management Sdn Bhd (SWM) and Trienekens (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd’s 20th Anniversary Gala Dinner which was graced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang ...

SIBU: A pilot project to combat indiscriminate waste-dumping has earned praises from Assistant Minister of Local Government Datu Dr Penguang Manggil. He regards the collaboration between the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Mandarin Sibu and Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) as ‘one that works towards attaining a greener environments.’ Specifically, he describes it as a very good initiative run by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) and a local authority (LA) towards instilling in the public, including those in civil societies, the culture of maintaining clean and sustainable environment. “Such culture should start at home, to be adopted at community-level and eventually, to be extended to the entire area under the LA (jurisdiction). “If this is done, ...

KUCHING: Last year, about 170,475 tonnes of solid wastes from Kuching areas (DBKU, MBKS and MPP) were disposed of at the Kuching Integrated Waste Management Park, in Mambong, said Ministry of Local Government and Housing permanent secretary Bakrie Zaini. Bakrie said the level 4 sanitary landfill is one of the best because it is a facility that is complete with a leachate treatment plant and incinerator. “The level 4 sanitary landfill will give a minimal impact on the environment compared to level 1, 2 and 3. “For your kind information, with Sarawak’s population at around 2.8 million, the waste disposal per capita is about 0.75 and 0.14 kg/capita/daily,” he said. Therefore, Bakrie said, the ministry is very committed to encouraging every local ...

Datu Dr Penguang Manggil   SIBU: There should not be any reason for the public to dump electronic waste (e-waste) indiscriminately, in view of the availability of many collection centres in Sarawak for such disposal. Assistant Minister of Local Government Datu Dr Penguang Manggil gave this advice in commenting about a recent incident, where a television set was dumped into a bulk bin near a housing area here. “There are adequate e-waste collection centres in the state. However, two possibilities could happen – the ‘could-not-care-less’ attitude that is still prevalent among Malaysians today; and the public not aware of (the existence of) such centres. “In this regard, the relevant authorities should expand their promotional/awareness ...

Lo (standing front, 10th left) joins MPP personnel and Jalan Semaba residents in a photo-call after launching the MPP-Trienekens ‘Kerbside Recycling Collection Pilot Project’. KUCHING: Residents along Jalan Semaba near here should be the first to benefit from a pilot project jointly run by Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) and Trienekens (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd. The project aims to provide kerbside recycling collection service around the neighbourhood. This means that through the trial house-to-house collection service, the residents would be able to put their household waste up for recycling with ease and at the same time, enjoy a scheduled collection service right at their doorsteps. Speaking at the project launch yesterday Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang, ...

KUCHING: Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) is working hard to ensure the city is free from plastic wastes, says its director Morshidi Ahmad. He said efforts need to be taken by all parties to not only reduce the use of plastics bags, but also create awareness on the importance of protecting nature and the environment. “There is a need to create awareness to ensure that the environment, especially the Sarawak River, is clean from plastic wastes. “Each and every one of us must play a pivotal role as agents of change to ensure our city, environment and waterbody are free from pollutants – plastic bags. Please be with us, DBKU, to ensure our environment will be very clean,” he said during the ‘Say No to Plastic Bag’ talk and sharing session ...

Datu Dr Penguang Manggil SIBU: Two landfills in the state have been fitted with the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (Scada) system, with others awaiting allocations to have the system put in place. According to Assistant Minister of Local Government Datu Dr Penguang Manggil, the two landfills with Scada are the one in Sibuti here and another in Mambong in Kuching. It is learnt that there are eight landfills in the state – Mambong, Kemunyang (Sibu), Sibuti, Tebedu, Lubok Antu, Engkilili, Meradong and Limbang. The other councils have open dumpsites, pointed out Penguang, who is Marudi assemblyman. Several new landfills have been proposed, he disclosed, saying: “Under 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP), (it has been) proposed either (to have) Level 1 landfills ...

KUCHING: Yayasan Sarawak director Azmi Bujang has promised that the huge increase of income from the timber industry will be used solely for education purposes. As a tax free organisation, he said Yayasan Sarawak abides by the tax requirements and is not allowed to invest even though it anticipated to receive huge income with the implementation of new timber premium rate from July 1. On the anticipated increase of income after implementation of the new rate of timber premium, Azmi said only with the approval of the Yayasan Sarawak Board, in which Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg sits as chairman, would he be able to reveal the projected amount. Abang Johari made the decision to increase chargeable premium for hill timber log from the initial RM0.80 to RM50 ...

Tiong (second right) and SMC councillors give the thumbs-up after the launching of ‘Waste Segregation Campaign’. SIBU: Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) launched its ‘Waste Segregation Campaign’ yesterday in line with the Local Agenda 21 initiative, and is leading government departments, schools, businesses and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the campaign. Its chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King said the council spent RM328,776 monthly on refuse collection alone. “Expenditure for refuse collection from residential and commercial areas has been gradually increasing, and the depleting landfill is the main factor to determine the success (or failure) of sustainable solid waste management in the future,” he told a full council meeting yesterday. He ...

A representative of the composting pilot project receives Bokashi composting kit from Dr Sim (third right), while Gerawat (right), Penguang (second right), Yii and others look on. BARIO: The Bario Highland, with its perfect weather suitable for organic farming, is the place that is truly ‘green and full of soul’. When launching ‘Ngeribed Ngebata Bario’ (Beautifying and Greening Bario programme) at Lepo Rurum in the highland yesterday,  Minister of Local Government Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said, “Sustainability is the pathway to improve quality of life of the people and Bario as a whole. Bario is lucky for having natural beauty of unspoiled environment that is green and fresh. It is the envy of many places that have gone far by creating concrete ...