Environmental Quality Act 1974 (No. 127 of 1974).

This Act makes provision for the prevention, abatement, control of pollution and enhancement of the environment. It is divided into the following Parts: Preliminary (I); Administration (II); Licences (III); Prohibition and Control of Pollution (IV); Appeal and Appeal Board (V); Miscellaneous (VI). Powers and functions relevant to the protection of the environment are shared by the Director General of Environmental Quality and the Minister charged with the responsibility for environment protection.
Article 4 provides for the establishment of the Environmental Quality Council, whose functions shall be to generally advise the Minister on matters pertaining to this Act and to any matter referred to it by the Minister. Part III concerns the procedure to be followed for obtaining a licence from the Director-General of Environmental Quality. Further provisions are made with regard to the prohibition and control of pollution. In particular, they concern the following matters: requirements and approval of plans; restrictions on discharge, pollution of the atmosphere, noise pollution, pollution of the soil, pollution of inland waters; prohibition of discharge of oil and wastes into Malaysian waters. The Minister, after consultation with the Council, may by order prescribe any activity which may have significant environmental impact as prescribed activity. Any person intending to carry out any prescribed activity, shall submit a report to the Director-General containing an assessment of the impact that such activity will have or is likely to have on the environment and the proposed measures to prevent, reduce or control said adverse impact on the environment. Final provisions concern inter alia, the appointment of the Appeal Board, the information to be provided by the persons concerned, the powers of inspection of the Director-General and other officers, offences and penalties.