General Operations Force (GOF) Southeast Brigade commander senior assistant commissioner Ahmad Radzi Hussain said the makeshift factories, often in inaccessible locations, frequently changed operations and sites, posing major challenges for enforcement agencies. STR/SHARIFAH MAHSINAH ABDULLAHKOTA BARU: Many illegal e-waste processing sites on the East Coast are hidden in remote plantations and employ foreign workers, making them difficult for authorities to detect and raid. General Operations Force (GOF) Southeast Brigade commander senior assistant commissioner Ahmad Radzi Hussain said the makeshift factories, often in inaccessible locations, frequently changed operations and sites, posing major challenges for enforcement agencies. Since last year, the GOF Southeast Brigade has recorded 41 cases involving e-waste, minerals, and other illegal extraction activities, with seizures valued at more than RM413 million. Sources said local operators favoured foreign workers because they accepted lower wages, harsh and unsafe conditions, and were less likely to report abuses, while their isolation in remote locations made them easier to control.

Source: New Strait Times February 17, 2026 09:19 UTC