SHAH ALAM, April 29 — Selangor assemblymen today issued calls for stronger environmental laws and stricter penalties to better address pollution issues, during the assembly sitting here today.
In her response, state executive councillor for public health and environment Jamaliah Jamaluddin said Selangor experiences more severe environmental pollution due to its high population density and intensive industrial activities, which demands more effective enforcement and regulatory improvements.
“The Selangor Environment Department (DOE) continues to face challenges related to limited manpower and funding, and the state previously requested additional resources from the federal government to enhance enforcement capacity,” she said.
She added that environmental enforcement should not rely solely on the DOE, and highlighted the importance of a more coordinated, multi-agency approach.
“In line with this, certain enforcement powers have been delegated to other agencies since July 8, 2025, to improve overall environmental management.
“The current system, where fines and permit revenues are largely channelled to the Federal Government, may limit the financial resources available to states to strengthen enforcement efforts,” she said.
On monitoring mechanisms, Jamaliah said systems such as Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems (CEMS) are already in place for industrial emission tracking, although enforcement challenges remain.
“Initiatives such as the Zero Discharge Policy (ZDP), which requires industries to recycle effluents and prevent direct discharge into rivers, as part of efforts to strengthen environmental protection and data monitoring,” she said.
Moreover, Jamaliah said the state government will continue coordinating with federal authorities while enhancing policies and enforcement mechanisms within its jurisdiction to improve overall environmental governance.
