Transformation the Role of Government in Solid Waste Management in Malaysia through Local Agenda 21 (LA21) Saat Siti Aisyah1,*, Jamin Rahaya Md1, Alipiah Roseliza Mat1, Khairuddin Nurul Izzwani Md1 1Lecturer, School of Social and Economic Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia *Corresponding Author: Siti Aisyah Saat Lecturer, School of Social and Economic Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia Email: s.aisyah@umt.edu.my
Online published on 2 February, 2019. Abstract Sustainable development agenda for local authorities have become the national agenda. The local authorities must be prepared to meet the challenge, particularly in relation to growing urbanization within the context of sustainability of solid waste management. This paper describes the result from the survey among local authorities in Malaysia regarding of solid waste management. A survey was conducted to gauge the thoughts decision makers of local authorities in Malaysia with regard to the concept of sustainable development and Local Agenda 21. This paper examines the transformation of the role of the local government in solid waste management in Malaysia using ecological modernization theory. The survey among local authorities in Malaysia shows that solid waste management has a low priority within the local authorities causing mismanagement of existing resources and a lack of formal planning. Consequently, there is lack of expertise, inadequate equipment and untrained staff with minimal education in waste management. Despite these shortcomings the local authorities require technical and financial resources in order to improved solid waste management in Malaysia. In fact, inadequate support from decision-makers of local authorities raises the question whether smaller or less advanced local authorities will have the capacity and capability to assume new roles to meet the new challenges. Top Keywords Ecological modernization, Solid waste, Local authority, Sustainability, Malaysia. Top |