‘All must help to make Kuching cleanest city’
KUCHING: Kuching is known as one of the cleanest cities in the country and also one of the most liveable cities in the world, but recent revelation by Minister of Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Tan Sri Noh Omar had declared Ipoh as the cleanest in Malaysia.
Many readers have asked why Kuching was not listed as one of the cleanest cities in the country anymore.
When contacted, Assistant Minister of Local Government Datu Dr Penguang Manggil said Kuching was still considered one of the cleanest in the country.
“I hope the people will continue to work with the local councils to ensure that not only Kuching is clean but all cities and towns in Sarawak are too,” Penguang said when contacted yesterday.
He added that it would be unfair to leave everything to the local councils and the enforcement agencies, while there were people having the bad habit of indiscriminately throwing rubbish.
“I hope all councils will continue to engage with the communities to ensure that our cities and towns are clean and safe to live in. After all, if we don’t do it, who else do we
I hope the people will continue to work with the local councils to ensure that not only Kuching is clean but all cities and towns in Sarawak are too. Datu Dr Penguang Manggil, Assistant Minister of Local Government
expect to do it for us?”.
Penguang also praised Sibu Municipal Council for enforcing the maximum RM500 fine for those who throw rubbish indiscriminately.
“I also hope members of the public can assist the councils and enforcement agencies by using the latest gadgets such as WhatsApp so that the culprits could be apprehended and fined accordingly.”
A civil engineer Lau Kiu Huat agreed with Penguang and said, by and large Kuching is still a very clean city.
“However, enforcement should be more stringent and those who have the bad habit of indiscriminate dumping should be properly dealt with under the law,” he said.
Lau also suggested that the relevant government agencies hold more public awareness campaigns on the importance of maintaining a clean living environment and civic- mindedness.
A construction executive Stella Tang suggested that local councils in Kuching should organise cleanliness contest for housing estates to encourage residents to keep their housing areas clean and tidy.
“Secondly, I hope the waste management company is more community-minded and not be too business minded as it would not be fair for us to ask for a truck just to dispose a small kitchen cabinet. Of course, it’s okay if they charge a minimal fee to those who need the service,” she said.
Tang also suggested that the waste management company should ensure that coffeshops, especially those operating on 24hour, be given top priority.
“Often times, when we patronised those kopitiam, they are so smelly and stinky especially the back alleys. This is unhygienic and unhealthy. It will surely affect the image of Kuching as a clean and liveable city,” she said.
A resident of Taman Sri Malihah housing scheme, Ibrahim Bolhi, meanwhile hoped the waste management company would provide more large common bins as there are more than 500 houses there but with limited number of bins.
“Stray animals such as dogs and cats will mess up the uncollected rubbish and make our place very unsightly and smelly,” he said.
A resident of Taman Matang Jaya, who preferred anonymity, said many residents had a negative attitude of dumping their waste indiscriminately.
“Many people just couldn’t be bothered about having a clean environment, thus, making our area very unhygienic and dirty,” she said.
Noh recently said Ipoh should be a model for cities in the country in terms of waste management.
“In 2008, Ipoh only got three stars but since then, they worked very hard to come to this level. Every year, their points improved and this year, they are ranked first in the country,” said Noh.
The star rating system was introduced in 2008 and Ipoh only obtained three stars at the time. In 2015, Johor Baru was ranked first but finished third in 2016 behind Ipoh and Penang.