ISTANBUL: Malaysia has received the prestigious Global Zero Waste Special Citation Award from the Zero Waste Foundation in recognition of its leadership in sustainable waste management.
Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming accepted the award from Turkish First Lady Emine Erdoğan during the Global Zero Waste Forum 2025.
Nga described this special recognition as testament to Malaysia’s sustained efforts in transforming urban waste management and promoting environmental stewardship.
He pledged to work tirelessly with his team to forge meaningful partnerships with the Zero Waste Foundation as mandated by the United Nations.
The minister committed to elevating zero waste principles on global platforms including the United Nations, Asia-Pacific region, and ASEAN.
Nga emphasised that the citation highlights the importance of stronger multilateral action and global commitment to rethink, reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Malaysia received the highest award category among three others including Innovative Research and Design, Zero Waste Projects, and Zero Waste Practices.
This achievement marks Malaysia’s leadership in advancing zero waste solutions under Prime Minister Datuk Anwar Ibrahim’s administration.
The country’s sustainability leadership includes recycling centres and Trash to Cash initiatives nationwide.
Malaysia has also launched the Circular Economy Blueprint 2025-2035 promoting producer responsibility and digital waste tracking systems.
Other initiatives involve transforming old landfills into Lestari Parks featuring renewable energy and community spaces.
Kuala Lumpur’s AI-powered transfer station processes 2,500 tonnes of waste daily through innovative urban management.
The annual Hari Cuci Malaysia campaign has mobilised over 100,000 volunteers and broken five national records since inception.
Nga delivered keynote closing remarks reaffirming Malaysia’s commitment to championing zero waste during its UN-Habitat Assembly presidency.
He called on all 104 participating countries to integrate zero waste into their national climate strategies.
The minister urged empowerment of local authorities as implementation engines for sustainable development.
Nga highlighted Malaysia’s advocacy with Brazil to mainstream the New Urban Agenda within UNFCCC processes ahead of COP30.
The Global Zero Waste Forum 2025 theme was “Zero Waste in Action: People, Places, Progress” held from October 17-19.
The event brought together representatives from 104 countries and 118 international partner organisations.
Participants included mayors, ambassadors, and senior representatives from UN agencies including UN-Habitat, UNEP, and UNDP.
Hosted by the Zero Waste Foundation under Emine Erdogan’s patronage, the forum strengthened international cooperation for waste-free cities.
This global platform aligns with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals for creating sustainable urban environments worldwide. – Bernama
