The recent revelation of a massive illegal e-waste processing facility in Sungai Siput, Perak, worth an estimated RM1.3 billion has raised serious questions about Malaysia’s role in the global waste trade.
The raid, carried out in February, exposed the scale and audacity of these illicit operations. More importantly, it highlighted deep flaws in enforcement and oversight, prompting a strong and justified reprimand from Perak’s Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.
The Sultan rightly questioned how such a facility could operate illegally “in plain sight” without detection. The fact that syndicates are using forged documents and false cargo declarations to bypass checks only emphasises the need for stronger, more proactive enforcement mechanisms. But beyond enforcement failures lies a more fundamental issue: why is Malaysia even allowing e-waste processing at all?
We must acknowledge a painful truth — Malaysia is being treated as the world’s e-waste dumping ground. And despite the presence of a few legitimate processing facilities that follow environmental regulations, the prevalence of illegal operations has tipped the scales. These rogue factories not only pollute the environment but also pose serious health risks to surrounding communities due to the toxic substances released during unsafe processing.
The environmental costs are immense. E-waste contains heavy metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium, as well as toxic chemicals such as brominated flame retardants. When not handled with the highest safety standards, these substances leach into our soil and waterways or are released into the air through open burning — affecting both biodiversity and human health.
What makes the situation more alarming is the glaring weakness in our enforcement ecosystem, which Sultan Nazrin highlighted in his statement. The fact that a massive, illegal facility could operate undetected for an extended period reveals serious lapses in surveillance, inter-agency coordination, and accountability. If the current system is incapable of detecting such blatant violations, how can we trust that it can effectively monitor even the so-called legal operators?
It is not enough to simply tighten regulations or increase spot checks. We are facing a structural failure in enforcement. Agencies tasked with protecting our environment are either under-resourced, under-equipped, or in some cases, compromised. Syndicates have grown more sophisticated, often staying one step ahead of enforcement through document fraud and logistical deception. Without a robust and incorruptible enforcement mechanism, allowing any form of e-waste processing — whether legal or otherwise — opens the door to exploitation.
While Malaysia continues to grapple with enforcement, other countries have taken far more decisive action.
China, once the world’s largest recipient of e-waste, banned the import of all foreign e-waste in 2018 under its National Sword policy. Beyond the ban, China imposes severe criminal penalties on those involved in illegal processing operations, including heavy fines and imprisonment. This shift came after years of environmental degradation in regions like Guiyu — formerly known as the “e-waste capital of the world” — where toxic exposure caused serious public health issues. Today, the Chinese government is actively transforming those same areas into regulated recycling zones under strict government control.
India, too, has strengthened its e-waste management rules in recent years, banning informal sector processing and requiring producers to adhere to extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes. Illegal operations are subject to raids and closures.
Switzerland, often held up as a model for environmental governance, only allows e-waste to be processed in highly regulated domestic facilities, and does not accept any foreign e-waste. This approach ensures that electronic waste is managed responsibly and within national control, with minimal risk to public health.
In contrast, Malaysia continues to host foreign and domestic e-waste processing despite the fact that it plays a negligible role in our national GDP. We gain almost nothing economically, yet risk so much environmentally and socially.
We must therefore ask a bold but necessary question: Should Malaysia even allow e-waste processing to continue?
The answer is clear. It is time to discontinue this industry altogether. We must:
Ban all forms of e-waste processing, including legal imports and domestic operations;
Revoke licences and dismantle existing processing facilities;
Impose severe, non-negotiable penalties on illegal operators including criminal charges and asset seizures;
Strengthen border controls to prevent the smuggling of e-waste into the country.
Malaysia is not, and should not be, a global garbage bin. If other nations can take strong steps to protect their environment and people, so can we.
The long-term health of our citizens, the safety of our natural resources, and the dignity of our nation demand that we act decisively.
Sultan Nazrin’s call must not fall on deaf ears. Let us end this harmful industry now before it poisons more of our future.
The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer and do not necessarily represent that of Twentytwo13.
