BANGKOK, Nov 3 — There is a need for all countries to share best practices on waste management through various platforms to ensure a sustainable environment and economic growth, according to Malaysian Prime Minister’s wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali.
“We have to start early. We need to educate our children, at home and school. We also need to remind ourselves to walk the talk.
“We have the responsibility to practice what we preach. We need to work closely together on waste management through various platforms,” she said at the interactive session on “Sharing Best Practices in Waste Management” as part of the spouse official programme in conjunction with the 35th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits here today.
Also present were Thailand’s Prime Minister wife, Associate Professor Naraporn Chan-o- cha and Malaysia’s Foreign Minister’s wife, Norlin Shamsul Bahri.
Dr Siti Hasmah said Malaysia is committed to implementing effective waste management which is relevant to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and had taken a stringent measure with the launch of the Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018-2030 to combat the potential threats posed by plastic waste.
“Our vision is that by 2030, Malaysia will be free from single-use plastics. This campaign demonstrated the Malaysian government’s seriousness and commitment in addressing environmental issues towards a resilient and sustainable nation,” she said.
Malaysia spends nearly RM1.6 billion per annum to collect solid waste and do public cleansing. With such high and the ever-increasing cost of managing waste, the country needs to review its current practices and modify accordingly to become more efficient and productive.
After the interactive session, Dr Siti Hasmah also attended the ASEAN Community Showcase (ASEAN Styles: Sharing the Future) and One Tambon, One Product (OTOP) Fair.
Tomorrow, Dr Siti Hasmah and other spouses of heads of state are scheduled to visit the National Museum of Bangkok and the Bangkunprom Palace, here. — Bernama
