Dewan Rakyat news in brief: Aug 3

NEW POLICY ON SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN THE WORKS    

KUALA LUMPUR -- The Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) is in the final stages of presenting a new policy and direction for the country's solid waste management to accelerate the transition from a linear to circular economy.

Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said KPKT was also in the process of reviewing the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672) to strengthen the elements of circular economy as a whole.

"In order to ensure the transition to a circular economy in a systematic and orderly manner, there is a need for a comprehensive legal framework across the entire solid waste management chain involving all industries and all states in Malaysia," he said at a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

According to the World Economic Forum, a circular economy is an industrial system that is restorative or regenerative by intention and design. 

-- BERNAMA

TEBEDU ICQS COMPLEX NEEDS NEW BUILDINGS

KUALA LUMPUR -- There is a need to change the original scope of the project to upgrade the Tebedu Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex in Serian, Sarawak, said Deputy Home Minister II Jonathan Yasin.

A visit to the project site by the relevant parties last May showed that there was a need to replace part of the dilapidated buildings with new ones instead of upgrading the existing blocks as originally proposed, he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.

-- BERNAMA 

106 GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS TO PROTECT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

KUALA LUMPUR -- A total of 106 Geographical Indications have been registered in Malaysia as a measure to protect intellectual property, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Datuk Rosol Wahid said of the total, 92 Local Geographical Products have been registered due to their importance to local entrepreneurs who produce and market products based on agricultural, handicraft and food products.

"Geographical indications are closely related to the development of rural economic progress in introducing products related to the physical environment of a place, for example Sarawak pepper, Sabah tea, Bario rice and Perlis Harumanis mangoes, decorated rickshaws, belacan and Asam Pedas Melaka," he said.

-- BERNAMA

RM2 MLN FOR JAKOA TO HELP ORANG ASLI IN BUSINESS

KUALA LUMPUR -- A total of RM2 million has been allocated to the Orang Asli Development Department (JAKOA) this year to help individual entrepreneurs, partnerships and Orang Asli cooperatives through grants, courses, training and entrepreneurship programmes.

Deputy Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad said the Orang Asli Guidance Grant Programme provides a maximum of RM55,000 in the form of equipment and construction of business premises to Orang Asli entrepreneurs.

“Apart from this, the ministry also provides grants for premises, equipment and revolving capital amounting to RM5,000 for each Orang Asli entrepreneur through the Rural Entrepreneurship Strengthening Support Programme (SPKLB),” he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.

-- BERNAMA