Latest news with #SahabatAlamMalaysia
The Star
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Open access law empowers rakyat to push back
PETALING JAYA: From a project to build artificial islands to an apartment complex that could worsen congestion in the neighbourhood, the Penang Freedom of Information Enactment has helped residents challenge government decisions that impact their everyday lives. Civil society groups and residents say that the enactment has helped them get crucial information to challenge the state government's decisions. Based on this, they welcome a national-level law which is the proposed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), that would allow anyone to access information kept by the Federal Government. However, they also said that the FOIA must avoid the pitfalls of the Penang enactments, such as the high cost of making an information request. Recounting his experience with Penang's freedom of information law, Ravinder Singh said that it allowed him to gain access to a traffic study for an apartment complex project in his neighbourhood. This followed worries that the new 28-storey project would worsen traffic congestion in the area as there was only one access road, said Ravinder of Taman Desa Jelita. 'I wanted to know how the project was approved and whether a traffic impact assessment was done,' said Ravinder, who then filed a Freedom of Information request with the state government. A state information officer denied the request, but that decision was overturned by an appeals board. 'The project consultant proposed widening some of the roads but some details were missing. So now I'm following up with an application to get the plans on road widening and on drainage.' Ravinder is worried that widening roads for the new project would take away pavements for pedestrians, forcing them to walk alongside cars, motorcycles and lorries. 'These reports will help us challenge the project with the local authorities,' he said, adding that this has helped residents like him hold their local authorities accountable for decisions that impact them. Similarly, the Penang enactment allowed civil society to gain access to information on the Penang South Islands Reclamation Project (PSR), which then helped them challenge the initiative. 'We wanted to know when planning permission for the project was granted by the local authority,' said Meenakshi Raman, president of Sahabat Alam Malaysia. 'This has led us to file a case at the Penang High Court, challenging the approval of planning permission by the state and local authorities. 'If not for the FOIA, it would have been very difficult to know when planning permission was granted,' she added. Penang's civil society groups and fishermen have opposed the reclamation project, which aims to build artificial islands off Penang's southern coast. According to the project's environmental impact assessment report, the project will harm the ecosystem and destroy the livelihoods of coastal fishermen. 'The Freedom of Information Enactment of Penang is a good piece of law that has helped us obtain information from the state agencies which is in the public interest,' said Meenakshi. A federal FOIA, she said, should be an improvement over the Penang law and ensure that any citizen who gets access to information should be allowed to have a copy of it. 'There should not be a need to go to the Board of Appeal to have the document,' she said referring to Ravinder's case. Information officers also need to be properly trained to act in accordance with the law, and not against it, she added. Ravinder also proposed that the national law include administrative penalties for civil servants who unlawfully decline information requests.
The Star
04-06-2025
- General
- The Star
Targeting the microplastics crisis
TODAY is World Environment Day. In line with this year's theme, 'Beat Plastic Pollution', Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM), together with the International Pollutants Elimination Network (Ipen) – South-East and East Asia, calls on governments in the region to act decisively to reduce plastic production and toxic exposure to plastic chemicals. We urge the following priority actions:
Straits Times
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Consumers, manufacturers key to enforcing EV battery recycling in Malaysia, say environmental groups
Manufacturers must also be legally mandated to take responsibility for the safe disposal or recycling of EV batteries. PHOTO: ST FILE PETALING JAYA - The government's plans to push for the recycling of depleted electric vehicle (EV) batteries must be enforced among both manufacturers and consumers to be environmentally sustainable, say environmental groups. Sahabat Alam Malaysia president Meenakshi Raman said manufacturers or importers of EVs must be legally required to collect back the same number of EV batteries as the vehicles they sell or bring into Malaysia. 'Failure to do so should result in fines or legal penalties. Companies that design longer-lasting or easier-to-recycle batteries should be rewarded with tax incentives. 'There must also be clear guidelines, good enforcement and proper facilities in place because used batteries could end up being dumped or handled in unsafe ways, causing harm to the environment and public health. 'Only licensed certified companies should be allowed to handle used EV batteries,' said Ms Meenakshi. She also urged the government to invest in propping up local recycling facilities and the development of an EV battery passport initiative that would track key battery information such as composition, origin, usage history and recyclability. 'An EV battery passport system will allow for better resource management as this makes it easier to identify which batteries can be reused, repurposed or need to be safely dismantled. 'Grants or tax breaks should be given to companies that invest in recycling technology or use recycled materials. 'The government should also consider supporting second-life uses for EV batteries such as repurposing them for solar energy storage before they are fully recycled, extending each battery's life and reducing waste,' she added. Environment Protection Society of Malaysia vice-president Randolph Jeremiah said manufacturers must be legally mandated to take responsibility for the safe disposal or recycling of EV batteries. 'Manufacturers must be made to establish their own recycling facilities, either domestically or in their country of origin or partner with local specialised recyclers. 'Extra tax benefits could be offered for those that invest in their own local recycling infrastructure as it strengthens Malaysia's circular economy ecosystem, allowing for the prevention and better handling of other environmental issues in the long run. 'Consumers must also be legally mandated to return used batteries to designated collection points for a cost, creating a closed-loop ecosystem where fiscal and environmental responsibility is shared by both consumers and manufacturers. 'This model would ensure long-term economic and environmental viability while preventing potential crises from inadequate recycling capacity,' he added. EcoKnights president Amlir Ayat proposed that a dedicated task force be set up to oversee this issue, particularly related to the disposal of EV battery waste that cannot be recycled. 'Any policy on EV battery recycling must be concrete, with continuous monitoring and enforcement being diligently conducted to ensure there are no potential legal or management loopholes which could lead to toxic waste management under the guise of recycling. 'The critical part now is securing the commitment from all parties, particularly the producers and consumers, through clear communication to avoid any such risks which may lead to disastrous consequences,' he said. He also urged the ministry to continue gathering public feedback on the matter. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Consumers, manufacturers key to enforcing EV battery recycling
PETALING JAYA: The government's plans to push for the recycling of depleted electric vehicles (EVs) batteries must be enforced among both manufacturers and consumers to be environmentally sustainable, say environmental groups. Sahabat Alam Malaysia president Meenakshi Raman said manufacturers or importers of EVs must be legally required to collect back the same number of EV batteries as the vehicles they sell or bring into Malaysia. 'Failure to do so should result in fines or legal penalties. Companies that design longer- lasting or easier-to-recycle batteries should be rewarded with tax incentives. 'There must also be clear guidelines, good enforcement and proper facilities in place because used batteries could end up being dumped or handled in unsafe ways, causing harm to the environment and public health. 'Only licensed certified companies should be allowed to handle used EV batteries,' said Meenakshi. She also urged the government to invest in propping up local recycling facilities and the development of an EV battery passport initiative that would track key battery information such as composition, origin, usage history and recyclability. 'An EV battery passport system will allow for better resource management as this makes it easier to identify which batteries can be reused, repurposed or need to be safely dismantled. 'Grants or tax breaks should be given to companies that invest in recycling technology or use recycled materials. 'The government should also consider supporting second-life uses for EV batteries such as repurposing them for solar energy storage before they are fully recycled, extending each battery's life and reducing waste,' she added. Environment Protection Society of Malaysia vice-president Randolph Jeremiah said manufacturers must be legally mandated to take responsibility for the safe disposal or recycling of EV batteries. 'Manufacturers must be made to establish their own recycling facilities, either domestically or in their country of origin or partner with local specialised recyclers. 'Extra tax benefits could be offered for those that invest in their own local recycling infrastructure as it strengthens Malaysia's circular economy ecosystem, allowing for the prevention and better handling of other environmental issues in the long run. 'Consumers must also be legally mandated to return used batteries to designated collection points for a cost, creating a closed-loop ecosystem where fiscal and environmental responsibility is shared by both consumers and manufacturers. 'This model would ensure long-term economic and environmental viability while preventing potential crises from inadequate recycling capacity,' he added. EcoKnights president Amlir Ayat proposed that a dedicated task force be set up to oversee this issue, particularly related to the disposal of EV battery waste that cannot be recycled. 'Any policy on EV battery recycling must be concrete, with continuous monitoring and enforcement being diligently conducted to ensure there are no potential legal or management loopholes which could lead to toxic waste management under the guise of recycling. 'The critical part now is securing the commitment from all parties, particularly the producers and consumers, through clear communication to avoid any such risks which may lead to disastrous consequences,' he said. He also urged the ministry to continue gathering public feedback on the matter.
Free Malaysia Today
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Resignations not enough, green group says on appointment of SPAN boss
Sahabat Alam Malaysia president Meenakshi Raman said the chairman of any commission must be independent and, in this case, remain unconnected to the water supply or sewerage services industry. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : An environmental group is insisting that Abdul Kadir Din's appointment as chairman of the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) be revoked despite him resigning from his posts at private water and waste management-related firms. Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) said Kadir's resignation from these posts 'does not provide sufficient comfort and assurance'. 'The mere likelihood or perception of the potential for a conflict of interest remains in the public eye, given the chairman's links to these companies,' SAM president Meenakshi Raman said in a statement. She said the chairman of any commission must be independent and, in this case, remain unconnected to the water supply or sewerage services industry. 'SPAN is meant to be an independent body to supervise and regulate water supply and sewerage services, which is a vital function to be performed in the public interest, free from the influence of vested interests.' Yesterday, the energy transition and water transformation ministry confirmed that Kadir had resigned from his posts at private water and waste management-related firms, amid concerns over a possible conflict of interest. It said that resigning from these posts was mandatory for appointment to the position. The ministry said Kadir had also stepped down 'several years ago' as adviser to Ranhill Holdings Bhd, which provides water supply services and operates water and wastewater treatment plants, among others. The ministry said each member of the commission, including the chairman, was subject to a code of ethics and conflict of interest policy, and that Kadir had no authority to make executive decisions unilaterally. It was responding to Bersatu MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan, who had raised concerns over a possible conflict of interest in the governance of the water sector following Kadir's appointment. Kadir was appointed as SPAN chairman effective May 5, replacing former Klang MP Charles Santiago whose two-year term had come to an end.
