
Cleaning up Penang : Malaysian politician Boon Poh Phee will be talking at the University of Waikato in July.
A Malaysian politician largely responsible for cleaning up Penang will reveal some of the ways he did it during a special lecture at the University of Waikato in July. Boon Poh Phee is a Minister in the Penang State Legislative Assembly and is responsible for welfare, caring society and the environment. Penang is in the midst of being transformed into a smart, clean, green and safe city and among the environmental measures that have been taken are encouraging waste minimisation, developing a new solid waste management system, establishing buy-back centres and material recovery facilities, collecting food and green waste for composting, instituting car free days and banning the use of free plastic bags and styrofoam containers. Boon Poh Phee will outline how the transformation of Penang was carried out and what further steps need to be taken, providing valuable insight into how similar ideas could be adopted in New Zealand. He will deliver his lecture on 10 July from 5.30pm at the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts.