KUALA LUMPUR: More than 2,000 tonnes of waste are collected in the federal capital daily, with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) bearing an annual waste management cost of RM220 million.
Describing the figure as significant and alarming, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the time has come to move beyond reactive measures and outdated approaches.
“We don’t have much time. We need to start now. This capital city must be preserved for future generations.
“I do not want my leadership to be without any agenda or action to resolve an issue that should have been addressed long ago,” she said in a post on X today.
She said this in conjunction with the launch of the Kuala Lumpur Zero Waste 2040 Roadmap, a major commitment towards making the federal capital cleaner and more sustainable.
Dr Zaliha said under the roadmap, the country is targeting a 20 per cent reduction in organic waste and a 40 per cent reduction in non-organic waste (20:40) sent to landfills by 2040.
“This requires not only a systemic change, but also a cultural shift,” she said.
She added that this effort cannot be shouldered by DBKL alone, but must be driven collectively by all parties including the government, industry, communities, and educational institutions.
