Environmental Quality Act 1974 Amendments Among Arthur Kurup’s 100-day Kpi

CYBERJAYA, Jan 15 (Bernama) -- Amendments to the Environmental Quality Act (AKAS) 1974 are a key focus of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup’s 100-day Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and will be tabled in Parliament this March. 

In his 2026 New Year address at the ministry here today, he said the amendments aim to strengthen enforcement of environmental laws and support national efforts to reduce carbon emissions through clearer and more effective mechanisms.

He said the formulation of the National Carbon Market Policy (DPKK) is also a priority to enable the implementation of carbon trading mechanisms in line with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

“DPKK will drive the participation of the private sector and banking institutions in domestic and international carbon markets.

“It will also support financing for low-carbon initiatives across sectors and catalyse climate action under sectoral policies formulated by various ministries,” he said.

Arthur also reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to implementing the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) in line with the spirit of the Federation and regional equity, including the transfer of regulatory authority over scheduled waste under Article 95C of the Federal Constitution to the Sabah and Sarawak governments.

He said the KPI also emphasises the implementation of the Low Carbon City 2030 Challenge (LCC2030C) to drive urban transformation towards low-carbon cities.

“The programme covers five key sectors - energy, transport, waste, water and greenery, with a target of 200 Low Carbon Zones and 1,000 Low Carbon Partners by 2030,” he said.

Arthur said that from 2020 to 2024, a total of 67 local authorities participated in LCC2030C, with carbon reductions rising from 51,569.61 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2020 to 465,000.02 tonnes in 2024.

He said another KPI focuses on tackling plastic pollution through the launch of the Avoid Single-Use Plastic Campaign themed “Plastic-Free, Earth-Safe”.

According to him, the campaign aims to raise public awareness of the harmful effects of single-use plastics while encouraging the “Bring Your Own Bag” practice as a sustainable lifestyle.

“It is implemented through collaboration with state governments, local authorities, community leaders and the corporate sector to ensure more systematic plastic waste management,” he said, adding that the integrated measures reflect the ministry’s commitment to advancing the low-carbon agenda, strengthening environmental law compliance and supporting climate action at the national and international levels.

-- BERNAMA