KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 (Bernama) -- The Environmental Quality (Amendment) Bill 2026 will enable Sabah and Sarawak to be given legislative authority in the management of scheduled waste, in line with Article 95C of the Federal Constitution.
Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said the eighth amendment to the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127) gives autonomy to the two states in the implementation of certain provisions under the act.
He said the amendment was in line with the decision of a meeting of the Special Council on Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MKMA63) on April 14, 2022, chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim together with the State Governments of Sabah and Sarawak regarding the granting of authority to manage and regulate scheduled waste on land or in the waters of the states concerned.
"The proposed amendment not only aims to strengthen the governance of scheduled waste disposal management, but also reflects the commitment of the MADANI Government in fulfilling its obligations and strengthening the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
"The rights and powers of autonomy specifically allocated to Sabah and Sarawak have always been preserved and even improved in line with what was agreed upon during the formation of Malaysia a long time ago... this amendment is in line with the spirit of federalism in the Federal Constitution," he said when tabling the Bill for second reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Arthur said since 2022, various actions have been implemented, including the organisation of engagement sessions, workshops and meetings with the active participation of the Sabah and Sarawak State Governments to ensure that the implementation of the empowerment runs smoothly and achieves the set goals.
The Bill tabled on Feb 11, was aimed at amending Section 1 of Act 127 to include a new subsection (3) to give the minister the power to suspend the operation of the entire or any provision of the Act in different parts of Malaysia.
-- BERNAMA
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