PUTRAJAYA: New Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin intends to adopt a circular economy while she helms the ministry, focusing on reproducing and recycling commodities’ waste into something more marketable.

       "This is something that is relevant to my experience in the last ministry (Housing and Local Government) in the waste management so I would like to work together with the ministry,” she told the media today.

       She was present here today to receive the handing over notes from former Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairudding Aman Razali.

       She said that she would like to work on how to generate more income for the country from recycling from waste product namely from the oil palm biomass.

       She also aims to improve commodities like palm oil, rubber, cocoa, pepper productivity and to focus more on the sustainability of these crops and at the same time cut losses and be prudent in management.

       Zuraida noted that currently this ministry contributed about 12 per cent or almost RM100 billion to the country’s revenue.

       "It's a bit of a challenge for me but I will take up the task especially at a time when the country is in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic," she said. - Bernama