NRES to amend EQA again - Harapan Daily

Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad confirmed that his ministry is looking into amending the Environmental Quality Act (EQA)for the second time.

“While the Environmental Quality Bill (Amendment) 2023, Phase 1 amendment was approved by Parliament on 4 April 2024, NRES remains committed to continuous improvement.

“We welcome further suggestions for strengthening environmental regulations during the upcoming Phase 2 amendments,” he said in a statement.

Recently the Bar Council had suggested the introduction of emissions – related laws.

“In this spirit, we are open to considering the Bar Council’s proposal regarding the necessity and effectiveness of emissions laws in achieving our environmental goals.

“NRES recognises that effective environmental protection requires collaboration between government agencies, industry stakeholders, and the public.

“We encourage open discussions and welcome constructive feedback on how to strengthen our existing regulations to ensure cleaner air and a healthier environment for all Malaysians.”

He added that the Department of Environment (DOE) has been actively reviewing Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulations 2014 (CAR 2014) since 2021.

CAR 2014 is among the regulations that beef up the Environment Quality Act.

Other regulations include Environmental Quality (Control of Emission from Petrol Engine) Regulations 1996, Environmental Quality (Control of Emission from Diesel Engine) Regulations 1996, and Environmental Quality (Control of Emission from Motorcycle) Regulations 2003.

These regulations establish specific limits for pollutants emitted from industrial
facilities and motor vehicles