Malaysia’s Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018–2030 first addressed the establishment of an institutional framework and governance mechanism to combat single-use plastic pollution (SUPs) issues including marine plastic litter. Through the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC), which is presently the Ministry of Natural Resources and Sustainability (NRES), the Federal Government leads the implementation of the Roadmap by undertaking the necessary coordination among the stakeholders. The State Governments play a major role in implementing the actions proposed in the Roadmap through respective Local Governments that are under the purview of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan [KPKT]) and the Ministry of Federal Territories (Kementerian Wilayah Persekutuan [KWP]). A team is formed as the government coordination mechanism, which is divided into a joint ministerial committee and joint steering committee.
Taking on the major functions of the coordination team, the Joint Ministerial Committee provides an overall direction for the Roadmap's implementation, ensures that all actions are implemented timely and effectively, monitors the progress towards goals and targets set, facilitates the implementation of actions among the states, districts, and local governments, provides an avenue for inter-agency planning amongst the state agencies, and identifies means to strengthen cooperation between the Federal and the State Governments. The membership structure of the committee is as listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Membership Structure of the Joint Ministerial Committee
Co-Chairman | Minister of NRES |
Minister of KPKT | |
Members | Minister of NRES |
Minister of KPKT | |
Environment and local government executive committee of each state | |
Secretary general or representatives from federal and state agencies | |
Other members by invitation |
KPKT = Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan (Ministry of Housing and Local Government), NRES = Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability.
Source: Government of Malaysia (2018).
On the other hand, the Joint Steering Committee plays a role in ensuring that the coordination team functions well, collects and reviews inputs from the institutions, committees, and forums to further assess the effectiveness of the implementation of actions, ensures that resources are mobilised in a timely manner, resolves conflicts, and mobilises ad-hoc taskforces for specific issues. The membership structure of the committee is as listed in Table 2.
Table 2. Membership Structure of the Joint Steering Committee
Co-Chairman | Secretary General of NRES |
Secretary General of KPKT | |
Member | Secretary General of NRES |
Secretary General of KPKT | |
State Secretary | |
Representatives from federal and state agencies | |
Other members by invitation |
KPKT = Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan (Ministry of Housing and Local Government), NRES = Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability.
Source: Government of Malaysia (2018).
From a broad perspective of plastic management in Malaysia, different ministries and government agencies are involved from upstream to downstream along the entire plastic value chain (Table 3).
Table 3. Ministries and Authorities Along the Plastic Value Chain in Malaysia
Ministry | Authority |
|---|---|
Prime Minister Department | Overall planning for a comprehensive socioeconomic development towards sustainable and inclusive growth through formulation of the Malaysia Plans, provision of directives to all ministries and government agencies on specific initiatives (e.g. phasing out of SUP products in government offices). |
Ministry of International Trade and Industry | Overseeing the manufacturing of plastic resin and plastic products (e.g. facilitating manufacturing activities, providing incentives and support, approving investment). |
Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs | Overseeing matters related to domestic markets, plastic product consumption (e.g. domestic trade, pricing for products) and consumption behaviours, etc. |
Ministry of Housing and Local Government | General solid waste management (e.g. overall planning of the entire solid waste management system, setting of recycling targets, control of waste plastic importation). Launched and monitor the implementation of the Circular Economy Blueprint for Solid Waste (2025–2035), which provides information and direction to advance the national circular economy's development. |
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability | Specific plastic waste management, especially illegal waste plastic importation, marine plastics, and other plastic pollution (e.g. implementing the Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018–2030 and the new Plastic Sustainability Roadmap 2021–2030, overseeing the establishment of Malaysia Plastics Pact, enforcing related national policy as the focal point for Basel Convention, ensuring compliance with environmental standards), and serving as the lead ministry for SUP governance, national plastic pollution reduction targets, and coordination of mandatory EPR implementation and reporting frameworks from 2026 onwards. |
Ministry of Economy | Integration of plastic sustainability and circular economy objectives into national development planning, coordination of EPR-related economic instruments, and alignment of SUP reduction measures with productivity, inclusiveness, and green growth targets. This is manifested in the 13th Malaysian Plan (RMK-13) and is being considered in the upcoming national Blue Economy Blueprint. |
Updated as of 20 February 2026.
Government of Malaysia (2018), Malaysia’s Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018–2030. Putrajaya: MESTECC. https://www.malaysia.gov.my/portal/content/30918 (accessed 31 May 2021).
Malaysia’s Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018–2030 first addressed the establishment of an institutional framework and governance mechanism to combat single-use plastic pollution (SUPs) issues including marine plastic litter. Through the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC), which is presently the Ministry of Natural Resources and Sustainability (NRES), the Federal Government leads the implementation of the Roadmap by undertaking the necessary coordination among the stakeholders. The State Governments play a major role in implementing the actions proposed in the Roadmap through respective Local Governments that are under the purview of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan [KPKT]) and the Ministry of Federal Territories (Kementerian Wilayah Persekutuan [KWP]). A team is formed as the government coordination mechanism, which is divided into a joint ministerial committee and joint steering committee.
Taking on the major functions of the coordination team, the Joint Ministerial Committee provides an overall direction for the Roadmap's implementation, ensures that all actions are implemented timely and effectively, monitors the progress towards goals and targets set, facilitates the implementation of actions among the states, districts, and local governments, provides an avenue for inter-agency planning amongst the state agencies, and identifies means to strengthen cooperation between the Federal and the State Governments. The membership structure of the committee is as listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Membership Structure of the Joint Ministerial Committee
Co-Chairman | Minister of NRES |
Minister of KPKT | |
Members | Minister of NRES |
Minister of KPKT | |
Environment and local government executive committee of each state | |
Secretary general or representatives from federal and state agencies | |
Other members by invitation |
KPKT = Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan (Ministry of Housing and Local Government), NRES = Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability.
Source: Government of Malaysia (2018).
On the other hand, the Joint Steering Committee plays a role in ensuring that the coordination team functions well, collects and reviews inputs from the institutions, committees, and forums to further assess the effectiveness of the implementation of actions, ensures that resources are mobilised in a timely manner, resolves conflicts, and mobilises ad-hoc taskforces for specific issues. The membership structure of the committee is as listed in Table 2.
Table 2. Membership Structure of the Joint Steering Committee
Co-Chairman | Secretary General of NRES |
Secretary General of KPKT | |
Member | Secretary General of NRES |
Secretary General of KPKT | |
State Secretary | |
Representatives from federal and state agencies | |
Other members by invitation |
KPKT = Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan (Ministry of Housing and Local Government), NRES = Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability.
Source: Government of Malaysia (2018).
From a broad perspective of plastic management in Malaysia, different ministries and government agencies are involved from upstream to downstream along the entire plastic value chain (Table 3).
Table 3. Ministries and Authorities Along the Plastic Value Chain in Malaysia
Ministry | Authority |
|---|---|
Prime Minister Department | Overall planning for a comprehensive socioeconomic development towards sustainable and inclusive growth through formulation of the Malaysia Plans, provision of directives to all ministries and government agencies on specific initiatives (e.g. phasing out of SUP products in government offices). |
Ministry of International Trade and Industry | Overseeing the manufacturing of plastic resin and plastic products (e.g. facilitating manufacturing activities, providing incentives and support, approving investment). |
Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs | Overseeing matters related to domestic markets, plastic product consumption (e.g. domestic trade, pricing for products) and consumption behaviours, etc. |
Ministry of Housing and Local Government | General solid waste management (e.g. overall planning of the entire solid waste management system, setting of recycling targets, control of waste plastic importation). Launched and monitor the implementation of the Circular Economy Blueprint for Solid Waste (2025–2035), which provides information and direction to advance the national circular economy's development. |
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability | Specific plastic waste management, especially illegal waste plastic importation, marine plastics, and other plastic pollution (e.g. implementing the Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018–2030 and the new Plastic Sustainability Roadmap 2021–2030, overseeing the establishment of Malaysia Plastics Pact, enforcing related national policy as the focal point for Basel Convention, ensuring compliance with environmental standards), and serving as the lead ministry for SUP governance, national plastic pollution reduction targets, and coordination of mandatory EPR implementation and reporting frameworks from 2026 onwards. |
Ministry of Economy | Integration of plastic sustainability and circular economy objectives into national development planning, coordination of EPR-related economic instruments, and alignment of SUP reduction measures with productivity, inclusiveness, and green growth targets. This is manifested in the 13th Malaysian Plan (RMK-13) and is being considered in the upcoming national Blue Economy Blueprint. |
Updated as of 20 February 2026.
Government of Malaysia (2018), Malaysia’s Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018–2030. Putrajaya: MESTECC. https://www.malaysia.gov.my/portal/content/30918 (accessed 31 May 2021).
