LAHTI in Finland has won the award for European Green Capital this year. The city has the facility to turn waste into energy.
Trade counsellor Pekka Laitinen, from the Embassy of Finland in Kuala Lumpur, said Finland would love to work with Penang on waste management.
“In Finland, we have new a law that forbids landfills or the garbage sites. So, over 90% of our household waste is recycled,” he said.
Laitinen invited Chow to bring his delegates to visit Lahti after the Covid-19 pandemic is over.
Meanwhile, Penang leads in the national recycling rate.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said Penang has entrusted the Penang Green Council to implement green agenda in the state.
“However, it may take us some time to bring our waste management efforts to the next level.
“We welcome any possible collaboration between Penang and Finland,” Chow told Laitinen and Finland ambassador to Malaysia Sami Rafael Leino during their visit in Komtar today.
Also present was honorary consul of Finland in Penang Datuk Poh Kim Seng.
Chow said Penang and the Nordic countries had taken part in several programmes together a few years ago, but the state could not proceed further due to the Covid-19 situation.
“We hope to continue our bilateral cooperation,” Chow said.
Leino was impressed with the opportunities available in Penang.
He expressed Finland’s hope to foster closer ties with the state, commending Penang as the economic powerhouse of Malaysia.
“We may be a small country, but we have expertise in areas such as sustainability management, and advance solution for waste management.
“We want to explore collaboration possibilities between Finland and Penang,” Leino said.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix by Chan Kok Kuan