Malaysia's Department of Environment (DoE) conducted 5,074 inspections covering 4,339 premises nationwide between January 1 and April 30, 2026, targeting high-risk industries such as palm oil mills, rubber factories, scheduled waste facilities, and sewage plants [1, 2].

The inspections resulted in 148 court convictions, with fines totaling RM4,598,500 and one day of jail sentence issued [2]. In total, the department imposed accumulated fines amounting to RM4.59 million for various environmental offences during the period [1, 2].

DoE carried out 1,906 enforcement operations focused on motor vehicle emissions. These operations involved inspecting 137,722 vehicles across Malaysia [1, 2].

In addition, 811 inspections were made on development projects with approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations [1, 2].

At major ports, the DoE conducted 51 inspections targeting 702 containers suspected of carrying scheduled waste. Of these, 427 containers were confirmed to contain scheduled waste, including electronic waste [1, 2]. The DoE issued 73 directive notices ordering these containers to be shipped out of Malaysia. So far, 53 containers have been successfully repatriated to their countries of origin [1, 2].

The department intensified monitoring of open burning activities with 3,237 investigations conducted nationwide, targeting 494 suspected hotspots to curb pollution and environmental damage [1, 2].

To aid enforcement, the DoE used 409 drone flights to monitor environmental compliance and support investigations [1]. The department also handled 6,252 environmental pollution complaints received over the four months, investigating each case [1].

Other enforcement actions during the period included issuing 1,587 directive notices, 1,369 compounds, 44 equipment operation detentions, two license suspensions, 18 prohibition orders, and preparing 129 prosecution investigation papers [2].

Separately, the DoE secured MS ISO 9001:2015 certification for their EIA report processing and enforcement procedures, valid until 2028 [1].

The department's comprehensive inspection and enforcement activities will continue throughout the year to uphold Malaysia's environmental quality standards.