The Honourable Dato’ Seri Kong Cho Ha, Minister of Housing and Local Government led the Malaysian delegation to the inaugural meeting of the Regional 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Forum in Asia on 11 to 12 November 2009 in Tokyo, Japan. He was accompanied by senior officials from the National Solid Waste Management Department.
A total of 15 countries, 13 international organizations and aid agencies as well members of the 3R Subsidiary Expert Group participated at the meeting. The goal of the Regional 3R Forum in Asia is to achieve ‘low carbon and sound material cycle societies in Asia’ through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms with focus on increasing resource and energy efficiency through the 3Rs; promoting environmentally sound management of waste in the region; and capacity building and institutional development in the respective countries.
The Honourable Dato’ Seri Kong Cho Ha had the honour of chairing one of the sessions of the meeting themed ‘Challenges and Opportunities in the 3Rs/Waste-Management in Asia ‘ Cross-Cutting Issues’. The Honourable Dato’ Seri Kong Cho Ha also took the opportunity of being in Tokyo to call on His Excellency Sakihito Ozawa, Minister of Environment of Japan to discuss issues of mutual interest to both countries. H.E. Ambassador of Malaysia, Dato’ Shaharuddin Md Som accompanied the Honourable Minister during the courtesy call.
