KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Xavier Jayakumar has ordered the local authorities to suspend all waste plastic recycling factories in Kuala Langat, Selangor following complaints about pollution and rising health risks to residents.

Xavier, who is also Kuala Langat MP has also called on utilities companies Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) to inspect the electricity and water supplies to the plants and their waste dump sites, Malay daily Kosmo! reported today.

"The local authorities have to take necessary action in accordance with the law to ensure this exercise does not affect residents in the area,” he was quoted saying.

Xavier was also reported saying he would raise in Parliament the import of plastics waste from other countries to Malaysia in his bid to seek a solution to the pollution problem in his constituency.

"We will get an answer this week from Cabinet members,” he was quoted as saying.

The Malay daily also reported Selangor Environment, Green Technology and Consumer Affairs committee chairman Hee Loy Sian as saying he has received 13 complaints about the factories and will personally inspect the factories to assess the severity of the situation.

Yesterday, Kosmo! cited a source revealing that at least 38 plants were in operation in the constituency, many of which were built within the past two years.

According to Malay daily, the township of Telok Panglima Garang in Kuala Langat is the most affected.

The source had said Kuala Langat was a prime location for such activity because of its strategic proximity to Port Klang where containers with waste could easily be transported to the plants.

Earlier today, The Guardian reported that tonnes of waste plastic from the United Kingdom were exported to various countries overseas, including Turkey and Malaysia.