Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA) acknowledges the recent statement by YB Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, Acting Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, announcing a complete halt to plastic waste imports to prevent Malaysia from becoming a dumping ground.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, MPMA fully supports the government's intention to protect the environment. However, they urge the government to carefully weigh the economic and environmental implications of a blanket ban and, above all, to distinguish between illegal dumping and responsible recycling. MPMA emphasizes that a total ban on plastic imports would unfairly punish licensed recyclers who operate under strict compliance and cripple a vital green industry, while the real culprits, the illegal operators, continue to tarnish Malaysia's reputation.