By Nasrullah Uul (UKM Intern)
Pix Ikhwan Hashim

BANGI, 2 March 2015 – The National University of Malaysia (UKM) will work with Solid Waste Corporation (SWCorp), a solid waste disposal company to undertake research and innovations related to the development of new technologies in the treatment and disposal of solid waste.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for this was signed here today by Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation Affairs) Prof Dato’ Dr Mazlin Mokhtar and SWCorp Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Datuk Abdul Rahim Md Noor. The signing was in conjunction with a Forum For Sustainable Waste Disposal.

Director of the Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI) of UKM Prof Mohd Raihan Taha and Deputy CEO (Technical) SWCorp Ir Hj Sanusi Awi witnessed the signing.

The MoU enables them to carry out joint programmes for human resource development to increase awareness of the people and the involvement of society in environmental sustainability.

Prof Mazlin said such cooperation is a linkage between industry, researchers and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for the welfare of society and the environment through smart sustainable projects and solid waste management.

He said that there is a need for a change in the mindset of the people for the benefit of society as a whole giving the examples of developed countries such as Japan and Singapore, which had already been practicing prudent solid waste management.

He said technology is not the main thing as there is the need to emphasise perspectives of nature. There was thus a need for the private sector and industry to move forward over the issue and not only rely on government or environmental NGOs.

Abd Rahim said among the most important challenges in waste management in the country are the attitudes of society that are not very sensitive to the importance of cleanliness.

He said a strategic and effective approach known as C4E (Communicate, Educate, Engage, Empower and Enforcement) would be used to transform the mindset of society.

All elements of society and government must work together to make Malaysia clean, beautiful and prosperous by the year 2020,” he said.

SWCorp aims at having cooperative relations with all Universities to create green campuses, Rahim said.