National Cleanliness Policy to help PPR residents turn trash into cash

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 1): Residents of People's Housing Projects (PPRs) will soon be able to learn how to turn trash into cash under the soon-to-be-launched Dasar Kebersihan Negara, or National Cleanliness Policy (NCP).

Targeted to be launched on Sunday (Nov 3), NCP will be implemented nationwide to nurture a culture of cleanliness and recycling among all Malaysians to create a sustainable living environment, according to Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.

“KPKT (Housing and Local Government Ministry) will be launching the policy at PPR Tehel in Melaka. The reason we are launching it at a PPR is the B40 is one of the communities we would like to focus on incorporating the culture of cleanliness.

“We will be collaborating with SWCorp (Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corp) to work out a mechanism where there will be vendors coming to PPRs to collect and pay for all the recyclable rubbish,” she told reporters in an interview conducted at Parliament recently.

She added that the ministry hopes to promote a culture that trash can be turned into a source of income that can help ease individuals' financial burden, especially the B40 group, thus building a more sustainable economy.

“This is something we would like to encourage not only on the downstream but also on the upstream, which includes manufacturers and importers of consumer products in Malaysia. Hence, we will be introducing the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) which requires them to recycle their packaging waste,” Zuraida said.

Deputy Minister Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad, who was also present at the interview, noted that the goals under NCP can only be achieved once the culture of cleanliness and recycling has been incorporated into the mindset of Malaysians.

“The most advanced countries are those that are disciplined and very clean, such as South Korea and Japan. I think we should learn from them, and the move to nurture the culture of cleanliness needs to be done as early as possible,” he stressed.