PENGURUSAN Aset Air Berhad (PAAB) Chairman, Datuk Seri Jaseni Maidinsa, has called on all state water operators to adopt a comprehensive zero-waste management approach to help the industry become sustainable.
Jaseni, a veteran in the water industry, said that recycling and reusing can help conserve all resources through responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery.
He said that PAAB aims to establish a nationwide zero waste management ecosystem by recovering and reusing treated water currently discharged from water treatment plants, while converting water treatment residue into commercially valuable products.
He was speaking at the Zero Waste Management 2.0 Conference 2026, held in Kuching.
“Rather than treating these as waste, they should be recovered, reused and transformed into valuable resources, including clay bricks, construction materials, cement-based products and land reclamation materials.
“This will not only reduce waste, but also create economic value and strengthen the sustainability of the water sector,” he said.
The conference is held under the auspices of the Green and Geopark Excellence Awards (GAGA), which is in its second edition.
Jaseni highlighted the residue management system at the Sungai Dua WTP in Penang as a proven example of resource recovery in action.
The initiative has demonstrated the potential to transform treatment residue into commercially beneficial products, reduce disposal costs and environmental impacts, while recovering treated water discharge for reuse in the treatment process to minimise water losses and improve operational efficiency.
As Malaysia’s water infrastructure financing arm and least-cost capital funder, PAAB is prepared to provide financing support or, where required, undertake both financing and project
delivery for initiatives such as treated water recycling systems and sludge dewatering facilities.
“Our objective is to develop solutions that are environmentally sustainable, technically practical and financially viable.
“By recovering water and transforming treatment residue into
useful resources, we can reduce water losses, lower disposal-related emissions, create new economic opportunities and strengthen long-term water security for Malaysia," he said.
The conference brings together prominent environmental advocates and leaders from the public and private sectors in Kuching to advance sustainable practices and zero-waste policies in response to climate change.
PAAB is a wholly owned company of the Minister of Finance (Incorporated) established under the Water Services Industry Act 2006 as a national water asset financing entity.
PAAB is responsible for financing, developing and managing water asset infrastructure to ensure the long-term sustainability, resilience and efficiency of Malaysia's water services industry. - October 6, 2026.
