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Good governance in national solid waste management policy (NSWMP)
implementation: A case study of Malaysia
Seow Ta Wee, Muhamad Azahar Abas, Sulzakimin Mohamed, Goh Kai Chen, and Rozlin Zainal
Citation: AIP Conference Proceedings 1891, 020128 (2017); doi: 10.1063/1.5005461
View online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.5005461
View Table of Contents: http://aip.scitation.org/toc/apc/1891/1
Published by the American Institute of Physics
Good Governance in National Solid Waste Management
Policy (NSWMP) Implementation: A Case Study of
Malaysia
Seow Ta Wee1, a), Muhamad Azahar Abas1, b), Sulzakimin Mohamed1,c) and Goh
Kai Chen 1,d) and Rozlin Zainal1,e)
1Faculty of Technology Management & Business
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Johor, Malaysia.
a) Corresponding author: a)tawee@uthm.edu.my
b) zaha.abas@gmail.com
c) zakimin@uthm.edu.my
d) kaichen@uthm.edu.my
e)rozlin@uthm.edu.my
Abstract. The National Solid Waste Management Policy (NSWMP) was introduced in 2007 under the Act 672. The
execution of NSWMP involves stakeholders from various government agen cies and a c olla bora tion with the p rivate sect ors.
Despite the initiatives taken by the stakeholders, the objectives of NSWMP failed to materialise. One of the major
constraints is weak governance among stakeholders with regards to the NSWMP implementation. This paper will explore
the good governance practices implemented by the stakeholders. Identifying the current good governance practices
implemented by the stakeholders is crucial as it will serve as a guideline to improve good governance practice in the future.
An exploratory research approach is applied in this study through in-depth interviews with several government agencies
and concessionaires involved in the NSWMP implementation. A total of six respondents took part in this study. The
findings of this study show that there are several good governance practices implemented in policy promotion, participation
of stakeholders, and capacity enhancement programme for the staff. This study also proposed some points on good
governance practices in the context of policy promotion and staff development. A paradigm shift by the stakeholders is
imperative so as to enhance the good governance practice in NSWMP implementation towards an efficient solid waste
management in Malaysia.
INTRODUCTION
For the past several decades, the culture of consumerism in Malaysian society is quite disturbing. The amount of
solid waste generated in Malaysia is increasing drastically every year [1]. Negligence in solid waste management will
cause a negative impact to the environment, quality of life, and economics development [2]. This critical issue is
confronted by many developing countries including Malaysia [3]. Therefore, the Malaysian government has
introduced the National Solid Waste Management Policy (NSWMP) in 2007 as the main guideline for solid waste
management. The goal of this policy is: i) to build a solid waste management system which is holistic, cost-effective,
socially acceptable and sustainable, and ii) to implement solid waste management based on the hierarchy of solid
waste which emphasises on waste reduction through the concept of 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycling). Currently, the
implementation of NSWMP is still ineffective. The solid waste management facilities were unhygienic, exposing the
The 2nd International Conference on Applied Science and Technology 2017 (ICAST’17)
AIP Conf. Proc. 1891, 020128-1–020128-6; https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5005461
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-1573-7/$30.00
020128-1
workers to the risk of diseases and affecting their quality of life [4]. In addition, the recycling rate among Malaysians
is still low at 15% compared to the neighbouring countries such as Singapore and Thailand [5].
Several empirical studies showed that various factors contributed to the failure of solid waste policy
implementation, namely insufficient of a fund, lack of expertise, lack of technology and facilities, ineffective
monitoring and law enforcement system [6,7,8]. However, the main factor leading to the failure of the solid waste
policy implementation is poor governance [9,10,11]. Poor governance leads to various problems in solid waste
management at every level [12]. Good governance approach is expected to bridge the gaps of governance in solid
waste management policy implementation at all levels of stakeholders. Hence, the objective of this study is to explore
the governance practice in the implementation of NSWMP. Good governance practice at all levels of stakeholders is
crucial so that the NSWMP implementation is comprehensive and holistic.
LITERATURE REVIEW: NSWMP GOVERNANCE
The Malaysian government has restructured the governance of NSWMP through the division of power, known as
decentralisation. As a result, the policy implementation involved various stakeholders [13]. An efficient governance
is one of the most important factors contributed to an effective implementation of NSWMP. Elbakidze et al. [14]
suggested that a study related to governance often discussed the process of how an institution is managed, controlled,
and obligated when implementing the agreed objectives. Governance includes aspects such as settings of staff at all
levels of management duties in a transparent and prudent way in terms of delivering results, corporate culture, and
strategy to deal with various stakeholders [15].
There are four major stakeholders involved in the governance of NSWMP, namely the Ministry of Urban
Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government, Department of National Solid Waste Management (DNSWM), Solid
Waste Corporation (SWCorp) and the concession company. Each institution has different roles and job scope with
regard to the NSWMP implementation. Nevertheless, each stakeholder is dependent upon each other. For example,
DNSWM is responsible for the coordination of NSWMP; thus, DNSWM will require cooperation from Solid Waste
Corporation (SWCorp) and the concessionaire to ensure the NSWMP is implemented according to the policy
objectives. Similarly, SWCorp and the concessionaires need DNSWM to establish a clear strategic plan and guideline
for NSWMP implementation. The objectives of NSWMP are significant and fit with the solid waste management
current operation
METHODOLOGY
A qualitative approach is applied in this study because its rules are simple and easy to comply and the study can
be explored with more in-depth. A qualitative approach is often used to interpret and understand a complex reality of
a given situation through personal perspective and experience, especially when researching on sensitive topics. A
qualitative approach is also useful in improving the understanding of the investigated issues which cannot be explained
explicitly. In addition, a qualitative approach is frequently used to identify specific factors that influence a
phenomenon of interest [16]. Accordingly, the purposive sampling was adopted to select respondents of this study for
in-depth interviews.
In-depth Interview
In-depth interviews are used to collect data and information from respondents in the Department In-depth
interviews are used to collect data and information from the respondents of DNSWM, SWCorp, and the concession
company (Alam Flora Sdn. Bhd.). Semi-structured interviews were conducted to enable researchers to explore more
closely on the issues discussed during interviews [17,18]. The questions asked in the interview are related to good
governance practices implemented by the stakeholders during the policy implementation.
Sampling
Purposive sampling was applied to select respondents for the interview session. This type of sampling is a
convenient method to gather data more quickly and effectively in exploratory studies. The sampling in this study was
selected based on knowledge and experience of the selected individuals representing the population. Therefore, only
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respondents that met the criteria fixed by the researcher were selected for the study. The main criterion for selecting
the respondents is their knowledge and experience with NSWMP implementation in Malaysia. A total of six
respondents were interviewed in this study (Table 1).
TABLE 1. Number of Respondent Selected
Stakeholders Number of
Res
p
ondents
Department of National Solid Waste Management (DNSWM) 1
Solid Waste Corporation (SWCorp) 4
Concession Company (Alam Flora Sdn Bhd) 1
Data Analysis
In qualitative methods, primary data is collected from interview sessions with the respondents. Therefore, data
gathered from the respondents are recorded using a voice recorder and documented through transcription. Once the
voice data are transcribed, they were analysed using content analysis method based on categories as well as themes
and sub-themes. The determination of themes and sub-themes are tailored according to the needs of data with reference
to the objectives [17]. Content analysis is used to analyse good governance practices employed by the stakeholders in
NSWMP implementation. The themes are identified based on the literature reviewed and theoretical framework of
this study. These data are categorised into specific themes and sub-themes and they are used in accordance with their
purpose, which is to explain the phenomenon in detail.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
The practice of good governance in NSWMP implementation is crucial. Therefore, exploring the good governance
practice in the NSWMP implementation is the basis for gaining a deeper understanding of the system’s strengths and
weaknesses. The findings of this study are extremely important and useful for future suggestion or addition with
regards to the good governance policy. This study discovered that there are three main good governance practices
implemented by the stakeholders, namely the policy promotion, various stakeholders’ participation in the decision-
making process, and staff capacity enhancement programme for NSWMP implementation.
Promotion of NSWMP
Policy promotion is one of the important components introduced in the policy implementation. Promotional
activities for the policy should be conducted before and after the policy execution, so as to give more exposure and
create awareness on the importance of the policy to all stakeholders. There are several studies on the importance of
policy promotion by previous researchers [19,20]. The literature reviewed also showed that there are a variety of
methods used to promote effective policies such as through the media, physical promotion, and verbal promotion
[21,22].
The result of this study has revealed that the NSWMP promotion was mostly done by the DNSWM through its
official website and other social networks such as Facebook. Other stakeholders, namely SWCorp and the
concessionaires are not involved in promoting NSWMP. However, this kind of promotion is not good enough because
it is limited to the internet user only. The information about NSWMP was also being promoted verbally through
meetings, workshops, and conferences. The majority of respondents highlighted that physical promotion of NSWMP
is very limited, especially at SWCorp and the concession company. In fact, physical promotion of the policy is
imperative to enhance the staff’ awareness on the policy’s objectives [22]. Physical promotion of NSWMP was only
conducted during sharing session with DNSWM.
This study revealed that NSWMP was promoted through various mediums so as to ensure that the policy is
recognised by all level of stakeholders. The promotion of this policy to various type of stakeholders shows that the
government is really open in what they are doing and they strive towards a better governance of NSWMP. However,
the effort to promote NSWMP was conducted exclusively by DNSWM. Other stakeholders believed that matters
related to NSWMP is under the sole responsibility of DNSWM. Most of the respondents commented that they are
mainly receiving instruction from DNSWM. Therefore, this study suggested that several aspects of the NSWMP
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promotion need to be improved. For example, more physical promotion by the executing agencies is highly
recommended, namely the Solid Waste Corporation and Alam Flora Sdn Bhd. The staff from the executing agencies
should be exposed more to the NSWMP policy. Additionally, constant discussions between the executing agencies
and DNSWM on the issues related to NSWMP is very crucial to build mutual understanding.
Stakeholder’s Participation
Stakeholder’s participation is a critical element in policy transparency. In fact, stakeholders’ participation is one
of the significant indicators of a good governance practice. A number of international organisations such as the United
Nations, the European Union and the World Bank emphasise on the importance of stakeholder’s participation so as to
ensure a successful policy implementation. Previous studies have discussed on factors affecting the stakeholder’s
participation in policy implementation [23]. A study by Read [24] showed that stakeholders’ participation in the policy
implementation is important in order to increase their knowledge and awareness of the policy.
This current study found that the stakeholders’ participation in NSWMP may occur in two platforms, namely the
Regional Implementation Committee (RIC) and Service Level Committee (SLC). The RIC was set up in each state to
provide a platform for the stakeholders to express their opinions and suggestions for improving the quality of services.
In addition, the purpose of this committee is to resolve any issues or problems related to the operations at the state
level. The membership committee for RIC consisted of a representative of the State Secretary, a representative of the
local authority, and a representative from the concession company. This session was chaired by the director of the
SWCorp.
The SLC was established for the stakeholder’s governance at the federal level. The meeting of SLC was chaired
by the Director General of DNSWM. In a year, a total of four meetings were held at the DNSWM office and SWCorp
was responsible for providing information and reporting on the collection operation and public cleansing services, and
proposing an improvement to the quality of services. It is also the SLC role to address any unresolved issues in the
RIC meeting. A majority of the respondents pointed out that stakeholders’ participation in the policy clarification also
occurred in meetings conducted by DNSWM and SWCorp. However, the stakeholders’ participation in meetings is
determined by the issues discussed.
The finding of this study showed that there are plenty of platforms provided to encourage the stakeholders’
participation. However, the practice of stakeholder’s participation was often found with SWCorp, whereby the
participation of stakeholders with DNSWM is rather limited. In fact, DNSWM is the main actor in regard to NSMWP
implementation and coordination. Hence, stakeholders’ participation programme should be encouraged and conducted
more frequent to ensure the issue related to this policy is unambiguous and addressed comprehensively. Moreover,
stakeholders will become more acquaint with the policy context if they get the information direct from DNSWM.
Capacity Building
Staffi ng is o ne of t he cruci al c ompon ents i n policy imple mentati on. Se veral p ast st udies focused on sta ff’s c apaci ty
[25,26,27]. Many researchers agreed that the key factor to a successful policy implementation is related to staff’s
capacity. The finding of this study disclosed that the capacity improvement programmes for staff were conducted
through training, workshops, seminars, sharing of knowledge, and by encouraging the staff to continue their studies.
However, each stakeholder has its own approach to increasing the capacity of their staff according to their
responsibilities and job scope.
The staff of DNSWM were given freedom to participate in any training and workshop. Staff attendance in the
training conducted by the department is not compulsory. The management of SWCorp conducted training and
workshop regularly to enhance its staff’s competency. The majority of respondents from SWCorp pointed out that
most of the staff development programmes are controlled by the organisation headquarters, whilst training conducted
by the branches were very limited. Moreover, the training and workshop conducted at the branch of SWCorp were
wide-ranging and not specific to the staff’s roles. The concession company also ran their own training programmes to
increase their staff capacity which focused on solid waste services and public cleansing. It is understandable because
the concessionaire must maintain the company's good reputation and their service quality in order to secure a position
in the solid waste management services sector.
Knowledge sharing is one of the good governance practices in staff development and enrichment. It is a good
practice for the staff to increase their confidence and competency. The study also revealed that every stakeholder
practices knowledge sharing in its organisation. Knowledge sharing sessions at DNSWM were conducted by the
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executive and interested staff. However, knowledge sharing sessions or programmes in SWCorp were practised only
at its headquarters and the sessions were often presented by its executives. Conversely, there was no knowledge
sharing session conducted at SWCorp branch, namely the SWCorp KL. Meanwhile, Alam Flora Sdn Bhd also
advocates knowledge sharing. In the knowledge sharing sessions, staffs were often inspired by the board of directors
and executives committee.
These findings indicated that the training programmes increased staff’s ability to implement solid waste policy,
specifically, based on the role and scope of work of the stakeholders involved. DNSWM instigated training to improve
their staff capacity to produce a more comprehensive strategy with regards to NSWMP. In contrast, SWCorp
conducted training to increase their staff’s capacity so as to ensure the NSWMP policy is implemented effectively in
the field. The concessionaires are responsible for improving the ability of their staff in order to provide solid waste
management services, guided by the goal of DPSPN. The practice of enhancing the ability of staff should be sustained
and intensified to ensure the DPSPN objectives are achieved. Similarly, all stakeholders practice knowledge sharing;
however, most of the knowledge sharing conducted were presented by their staff. For a more interactive knowledge
sharing sessions, exchange of knowledge among stakeholders would be excellent. The involvement and participation
of stakeholders in knowledge sharing session could improve their understanding and communication skills.
CONCLUSION
The governance of National Solid Waste Management Policy (NSWMP) involved many stakeholders who have
different roles and responsibilities. However, the objective of every stakeholder is the same, which is to accomplish
an effective solid waste management. Therefore, the problems and issues that arise in the implementation of NSWMP
should be resolved through a good governance approach. This study has revealed that there are good governance
practices implemented by stakeholders in NSWMP implementation such as policy promotion, participation of
stakeholders, and capacity enhancement program for the staff. However, these good governance practices still have
much room for improvement. Therefore, every stakeholder needs to be proactive to improve their good governance
practices in the NSWMP implementation. Further study on the good governance constraint in NSWMP
implementation is highly recommended so as to explore the issues of poor governance in a broader perspective.
Likewise, the study of good governance framework in NSWMP implementation is also crucial as a guideline to
stakeholders to improve their good governance practice.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Special thanks are extended to the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) for providing adequate financial
assistance under grant of FRGS Vot 1550, the management of closed landfill leachate using biological approach.
Moreover, we wish to express our sincere appreciation to ORICC, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM)
and FPTP, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) for providing required technical assistance.
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