Proceedings of the Asia regional workshop on the

Introduction
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MALAYSIA
by Md Sufian Yek Bin Md Juni Yek
The Pesticides Act <strong>of</strong> 1974, <strong>the</strong> principle legislation for <strong>the</strong> control <strong>of</strong> pesticides in Malaysia,
is implemented by <strong>the</strong> Pesticides Board which comprises various heads <strong>of</strong> government agencies, and
is under <strong>the</strong> jurisdiction <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Agriculture. Simultaneously, <strong>the</strong> role in <strong>the</strong>
implementation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Code <strong>of</strong> Conduct on <strong>the</strong> Distribution and Use <strong>of</strong> Pesticides too lies under <strong>the</strong>
responsibility <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Agriculture.
There are presently seven subsidiary legislations being enforced in <strong>the</strong> area such as
registration, importation for research and education purposes, labelling, licensing for sale and storage
for sale, highly toxic pesticides, advertisement, and pest control operators.
Some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> significant amendments recently made to <strong>the</strong> Pesticides Act 1974 include <strong>the</strong>
imposing <strong>of</strong> heavier penalties for all <strong>of</strong>fences, <strong>the</strong> control <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> importation <strong>of</strong> pesticides as
a registration sample or an analytical standards, <strong>the</strong> control <strong>of</strong> possession or use <strong>of</strong> unregistered
pesticides and unapproved use <strong>of</strong> pesticides, <strong>the</strong> mandatory requirement impose onto <strong>the</strong> pesticide
<strong>of</strong>fender to pay for <strong>the</strong> pesticide disposal charges and so on.
Among <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r laws enacted to control o<strong>the</strong>r specific aspects <strong>of</strong> pesticides are:
1. The Hydrogen Cyanide (Fumigation) Act 1953 which controls <strong>the</strong> fumigation <strong>of</strong>
premises including ships using ei<strong>the</strong>r hydrogen cyanide or methyl bromide.
2. The Environmental Quality Act 1974 has <strong>the</strong> primary objective <strong>of</strong> controlling <strong>the</strong>
discharge <strong>of</strong> waste including pesticide from factories into <strong>the</strong> environment in such
volume, composition or manner so as not to cause adverse effects on human health and
<strong>the</strong> environment.
3. The Food Act 1983 <strong>of</strong> which Schedule 16 <strong>of</strong> its Food Regulations 1985 prescribe <strong>the</strong>
maximum residue levels <strong>of</strong> pesticides in food.
4. The Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 provides <strong>the</strong> legislative framework to
promote, stimulate and encourage high standards <strong>of</strong> safety and health <strong>of</strong> workers at
work.
A. Pest and pesticide management
In Malaysia, <strong>the</strong> National IPM committee is established to oversee <strong>the</strong> development
and implementation <strong>of</strong> IPM on various crops. The Chairman <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> National Committee is <strong>the</strong>
Secretary-General <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ministry <strong>of</strong> Agriculture and Agro-based Industry while Department <strong>of</strong>
Agriculture is <strong>the</strong> secretariat to <strong>the</strong> National Committee. The o<strong>the</strong>r members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Committee
comprise o<strong>the</strong>r related agencies in Malaysia.
The concept <strong>of</strong> IPM was first introduced into Malaysia in <strong>the</strong> 1960s. With surging problem
<strong>of</strong> pest resistance and resurgence in <strong>the</strong> seventies, <strong>the</strong> government began to embark more on IPM as
a pest control tool. The implementation <strong>of</strong> IPM principles and <strong>the</strong> practices in Malaysia was
a gradual yet continual process. Notably, IPM was first implemented in rubber (Rao, 1969), cocoa