08/08/2026

Editorial T: 03-7784 6688 F: 03-7785 2625 E: sunbiz@thesundaily.com Advertising T: 03-7784 8888 E: advertise@thesundaily.com

SCAN ME

SATURDAY | AUG 8, 2026

SWCorp shifts into electric drive mode o Waste management company encourages concessionaires to electrify 20-30% of their collection and cleansing fleets by end of the year

Ű BY HAYATUN RAZAK sunbiz@thesundaily.com

conventional vehicles with electric ones if budgets allow,” Hee said. He added that electric-powered equipment would make public cleansing operations less disruptive, noting that electric blowers operate at around 70 decibels, compared with more than 80 decibels for con ventional models. Alam Flora plans to deploy 242 EVs and electric-powered equipment by the end of 2026, backed by an investment of about RM3 million in EVs, supporting technologies and related infrastructure. CEO Shariman Yusuf Mohamed Zain said the company operates over 800 operational fleet vehicles for waste collection and public clean sing, excluding motorcycles used by supervisors, and is adopting a phased approach to electrification. The first phase covers electric road sweepers, road maintenance vehicles, electric litter-picking machines, electric blowers, smart waste col lection bins, motorcycles and tri cycles. Motorcycles have already achieved 100% electrification because they are primarily used by supervisors to monitor contractors and ensure compliance with service level agreements, while electric tricycles are being deployed for maintenance work and a food waste pilot programme with SWCorp. Shariman said heavier operational vehicles, including compactors, would only be introduced after completing proof-of-concept (PoC) trials, with the first electric com pactor expected to arrive within the next one to two months. “For certain categories of vehicles ability to compete globally. “Supported by the government’s ongoing initiatives, the semicon ductor industry is moving beyond assembly and testing into higher value activities such as advanced chip packaging for artificial intelligence (AI), data centres and high-per formance computing. “The Ministry of Science, Tech nology and Innovation recently stated that Malaysia aims to capture seven per cent of the global advanced packaging market by 2035,“ Liew said. He noted that the next semicon ductor leap cannot be achieved by government, industry or investors alone, as success requires partnership and investors, as well as capital markets to provide the long-term capital necessary to transform promising companies into global champions. Bursa Malaysia CEO Datuk Fad’l Mohamed said the capital market has an important role in helping inno

PUTRAJAYA: Solid Waste Manage ment and Public Cleansing Corpo ration (SWCorp) is targeting waste management concessionaires to electrify 20% to 30% of their fleets by the end of 2026, as it pushes for wider adoption of electric vehicles to reduce carbon emissions and modernise public cleansing operations. SWCorp chairman Hee Loy Sian described yesterday’s launch of Alam Flora Sdn Bhd’s next-generation electric public cleansing vehicles and equipment as the beginning of a broader shift away from conventional fuel-powered fleets, with electric compactors expected to form part of the next phase. “This is only a beginning. We hope that in future, not only Alam Flora but also other concession companies will introduce electric vehicles. Today there are no electric compactors yet. In future, we hope we can invite the minister to launch the electric compactor,” he told reporters after officiating the launch. While acknowledging that EVs remain significantly more expensive than conventional vehicles, Hee said the transition was being driven by environmental benefits rather than immediate financial returns. “It is not only about savings. Electric vehicles are expensive, but they are better for the environment because they reduce carbon emissions. We want to reduce carbon released into the atmosphere. That is why we are encouraging con cessionaires to gradually replace KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s capital market has an important role to play in supporting the nation’s next phase of semiconductor growth as the country positions itself to capture opportunities arising from the reorganisation of global semicon ductor supply chains. In a joint statement by Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd and Citic CLSA, issued in conjunction with the Bursa Malaysia-CLSA Semiconductor Sectoral Series held recently, Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong welcomed capital market stake holders coming together to address the funding requirements for Malaysia’s semiconductor industry. He said the next phase of growth would require three critical forms of capital – deep capital, smart capital and strategic capital – to support companies as they invest in inno vation, technology, talent and capa bilities, while strengthening their

From right: Hee, National Solid Waste Management Department director-general Datuk Dr Mohd Azhar Abd Hamid and Shariman with one of Alam Flora Sdn Bhd’s next-generation electric public cleansing vehicles. – BERNAMAPIC

we have already reached 100% electrification. But for other vehicles, we need to conduct a proof of concept first because we want to make sure the operation is seamless and smooth. If a collection vehicle suddenly stops halfway through its route, that is a problem,” he said. The PoCs, which will be carried out in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, will assess whether the vehicles can complete a full day’s operations on a single charge, including multiple collection rounds, travelling to transfer stations and returning to charging depots without affecting service delivery. “The charging infrastructure is still developing in the country. We have to make sure it fulfils the criteria

because this is a public service and the public cannot feel any drop in service,” Shariman said. Alam Flora will also assess whether the heavier battery packs reduce payload capacity and whether the higher purchase price can be justified over the vehicles’ operating life. “The battery is heavy. We have to see whether it can carry what the manufacturer claims. The upfront cost is higher, maybe 40% to 50% more than conventional vehicles, but we need to look at the lifecycle cost. Obviously, there is no fuel cost, while maintenance is lower. We need to evaluate all this through the POC because this technology is still new and we have to verify whether it performs as claimed,” Shariman said.

To support the rollout, Alam Flora will install dedicated charging stations at its depots and study charging duration and capacity requirements before determining the scale of future infrastructure. The company also launched the Alam Flora Driving Excellence Centre, a simulator-based training facility to prepare drivers to operate electric vehicles and other modern equipment while strengthening safety standards and operational readiness. Looking ahead, Shariman said Alam Flora will continue exploring auto nomous driving technologies, robotics and smart digital solutions to improve operational efficiency, sustainability and service delivery as part of its broader digitalisation strategy. Malaysia, we continue to strengthen investor engagement, enhance market visibility and support companies throughout their growth journey. “As Malaysia’s semiconductor industry evolves, we remain com mitted to strengthening the capital market ecosystem to support the industry’s growth and Malaysia’s ambition to build globally competitive technology companies,“ he said. Themed “Malaysia’s Next Semiconductor Leap: Elevating the Semiconductor Value Chain”, the Bursa Malaysia-CLSA Semiconductor Sectoral Series was organised by Bursa Malaysia in collaboration with CLSA Securities Malaysia Sdn Bhd. The event explored Malaysia’s position in the global semiconductor ecosystem, opportunities in higher value segments of the value chain, and the role of capital markets in supporting innovation, growth and global competitiveness. – Bernama

Capital market key to supporting next phase of semiconductor growth

From left: CLSA Malaysia country head Joe Liew, Liew Chin Tong, Fad’l and Bursa Malaysia director of group commercial and market coverage Stephanie Tan. – CITIC CLSA PIC

is already home to 52 technology companies with a combined market capitalisation of close to RM100 billion as of June 2026. “Through initiatives such as MY Value Up, Bursa RISE+ and Invest

vative companies access long-term capital, broaden investor participation and strengthen market visibility as Malaysia enters its next phase of growth. He highlighted that Bursa Malaysia