Educating public key in keeping environment clean

SEREMBAN: Efforts to educate society to keep surroundings clean at all times must continue.

Similarly, more should be done to create awareness among the public about the damage caused when waste is not treated or disposed of properly.

Pertubuhan Kebajikan Sayangi Malaysia president Chew Chia Ker, 38, says the nongovernmental organisation has carried out several joint programmes with the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation on this.

“The process to educate the people to keep their surroundings clean should continue because some take it for granted that this should be left to the workers engaged to do such work.

“If we start educating them young, then campaigns like these will be more successful,” he said when met at the the launch of the state-level World Cleanup Day by state ruler Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir at the Lake Gardens here.

Chew said the NGO has also carried out several beautification projects in the state to educate the local community to take ownership when it comes to keeping their surroundings clean.

Undergraduate Wan Muhammad Azizi, 18, was shocked when Men-tri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun revealed in his speech how much it cost the state authorities to conduct three river cleanup exercises due to illegal dumping of waste.

“I can also imagine the damage it would have caused the environment if the waste wasn’t cleared.

“I am going to use social media to make the information I gathered at today’s event go viral so that more people will know how important it is to keep our planet clean,” said Wan Muhammad who is from Alor Star.

S. Gunasegaran, 38, said the event was an eyeopener.

“I came here this morning because I support this cause. Every one of us should do more to keep our surroundings clean – and we can start by not littering,” he said.

University student Nur Kautsar Ismail, 18, from Nilai, said more can be done to educate people about the benefits of recycling.

“Recycling not only helps save the environment but can actually be a profitable venture.

“If this is promoted aggressively, I believe more people will take the trouble to sort out their rubbish properly,” she said.