On 7 July 2025, MPMA - led by Mr. CC Cheah (President), together with Mr. Callum Chen (Honorary President) and Dato’ Johnson Yoon (Chairman of the Recycling Committee), and supported by 10 recyclers, had met with Datuk Hanafi, Deputy Secretary General of MITI to present MPMA's perspectives and proposals on continuing the importation of plastics feedstock.

Whilst MPMA had highlighted the importance of imports and its role in the circular economy, MITI had informed that it was unable to provide a positive response at this stage. The Ministry had raised several key concerns, including:

• The United States not being a party to the Basel Convention, amid growing international pressure to restrict imports.
• Regional trends, as neighboring countries move to phase out plastic feedstock imports.
• Concerns that a significant portion of Malaysia’s recycled plastic resin is exported rather than supporting domestic demand.

MPMA will continue to engage with stakeholders and members, to address these concerns and advocate for a balanced approach that supports both environmental protection and the growth of Malaysia’s recycling industry.