Sustainable Resources and Wastes Management Ordinance, 2025 (Cap 90)

This Ordinance is an extensive legislative framework intended to promote a circular economy and ensure the efficient management of sustainable resources and waste in Sarawak. This Ordinance establishes the Sustainable Resources and Wastes Management Authority, a body corporate with broad powers to regulate the segregation, collection, and treatment of resources. The Ordinance mandates that anyone producing or holding waste must segregate it according to regulations and requires licensing for the collection, transportation, and operation of management facilities. Notably, resources segregated at or delivered to designated places generally become the property of the Authority. The Ordinance establishes a dedicated Sustainable Resources and Wastes Management Fund to be used for administrative costs, research, and providing incentives. To ensure compliance, the Ordinance provides authorities with rigorous enforcement powers, including the ability to conduct searches of premises, seize property, impose substantial financial penalties of up to RM 20 million for breaches of law, and arrest individuals suspected of non-compliance without a warrant. Furthermore, the Authority can declare specific materials as ‘controlled sustainable resources’ if they have recoverable value for energy or industrial use.

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