Polymeric chelating ligands containing hydroxamic acid and amidoxime ligands have been synthesized from poly(methyl acrylate-co-acrylonitrile) grafted sago starch. Batch adsorption has been performed to identify the binding property of metal ions. Maximum sorption capacity of copper is found to be 2.80 mmol g(-1), however other transition metals has good sorption capacity with this ligands. The rate of exchange of some metals is found to be fast, i.e. t(1/2) approximate to 6 min (average). Three types of wastewater containing chromium, zinc, nickel, copper, and iron have been used in this study. The metal recovery is found to be high, and more than 99% of the metals could be removed from the metal plating wastewater. Polymeric chelating ligands could be used to remove the metals from wastewater.