Ministry opens door to recycling initiatives

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WASTE TO WEALTH: Fadillah (second left) with Lo (right), Sharkawi (second right) and others throwing away waste in a symbolic ceremony yesterday.

KUCHING: Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) is welcoming and offering assistance for any recycling initiatives especially those involving schools.

Its deputy minister, Datuk Fadillah Yusuf, said recycling efforts were closely tied to his ministry as Mosti had been actively promoting the ‘waste to wealth’ concept.

“Such efforts can be assisted by our ministry and we are encouraging schools to engage in such efforts as they can help to increase fund for the school,” said Fadillah.

He was speaking at the Solid Waste Segregation Pilot Project launch at SK Matang Jaya yesterday.

Fadillah added that the creation of such centres where waste could be recycled and processed into fertilisers and even biodiesel in West Malaysia should be emulated here in the state.

“In fact, the school can become such a centre where the processing machine can be placed. At the same time, we can inculcate the recycling culture in our children,” he elaborated and added that it could also be done to include nearby housing estates or neighbourhoods.

He urged the school’s parent-teacher-association (PTA) to submit a proposal to his ministry where Mosti could assist towards such an initiative.

“The 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) programme had been around for some time but we need to work things out for something bigger. People want returns of investment,” he said.

Fadillah later announced an undisclosed amount of grant to the school for its activities.

Earlier on, Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) chairman Lo Khere Chiang in his speech said the council realised the importance of waste management issues and they were major areas of discussion during their meetings.

“The increase in population in the city and economic growth had pushed up the amount of waste and as citizens, it is duly the task of everyone to be involved in recycling and waste management,” said Lo.

Lauding the effort of SK Matang Jaya for their involvement towards the programme, Lo revealed that SK Sejijak was the second school to participate very soon.

Introduced by MPP and Trienekens (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, the programme aims to enhance the 5R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink and Repair) concept and introduce the habit of separating solid waste to students at primary school level.

Selected as the first school under MPP jurisdiction, SK Matang Jaya students, teachers and staff will engage in the practice of segregating school waste from the point of generation starting from their classrooms.

The programme will also include a series of side activities such as awareness talks, inter-class recycling competition, colouring and poster contests.

Among those present at the project launch were MPP deputy chairman Hashim Yap, school headmaster Sharkawi Annuar and Trienekens Logistics and Services division manager Sarius Lee.