PUTRAJAYA (April 22): The government is pursuing a national policy on the production, consumption and disposal of plastic, in line with the ongoing negotiations of the Global Plastic Treaty aligned with environmental sustainability objectives.

Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the government had established the Malaysian Plastic Sustainability Roadmap (2021-2030) and the Malaysian Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics (2018-2030).

“I have instructed a review of legislation governing plastic pollution to strengthen our measures in addressing this issue,” he said in a statement on Monday, in conjunction with Earth Day themed ‘Planet vs Plastics’.

Nik Nazmi said Malaysia had participated in four rounds of international negotiations on the GPT within the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) for the Development of an Internationally Legally Binding Instrument on Marine Plastic Pollution.

He said the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry is leading Malaysia's delegation to the fourth INC negotiation session from Tuesday until April 29, 2024, in Ottawa, Canada.

Nik Nazmi stressed the importance of collective efforts, particularly by the public, in promoting the use of reusable bags and reducing single-use plastics.

This year's Earth Day theme underscores society's duty to conserve and safeguard the planet, given that plastic waste takes a minimum of 500 years to decompose naturally.