Please relocate landfill, villager tells govt

MIRI: A resident of Kampung Keluru Jaya in Bekunu is urging the government to relocate a landfill near his village.

Contacting The Borneo Post yesterday, the resident, Sabak Isa, 65, said the foul smell and river pollution caused by the landfill is giving a negative image of the villages and residents nearby.

“We do not want to be known as folks of a dumping site,” Sabak said.

Sabak claimed the problem posed by the landfill became serious five years ago when the increasing daily garbage was not properly managed.

“Every time there is a heavy downpour, the leachate flows into the river accompanied by the foul smell,” he highlighted. He said the most affected village is Kampung Subak which is located near the landfill. Other villages affected, apart from his own, include Kampung Satap, Keluru Tengah, Kejapil, Sepurau, Opak and Beraya.

“My hope is for the state government to take note of the problem and to take immediate action.”

He said the problem had also attracted the attention of local representatives including Miri City Council (MCC) mayor Lawrence Lai who had met up with the affected folks and visited the landfill. He further added that complaints had been submitted to the Prime Minister’s Department in January.

Meanwhile, the landfill has been operating since 2003 to decompose garbage from several areas under MCC, Subis District Council and Bakong.

Recently, the government has built another waste disposal unit at the site in Kampung Subak, at a cost of RM24 million which was completed in December last year.

The unit complements the previous three existing units which have been utilised to the maximum.

The unit was claimed to be equipped with efficient technology which runs a waste disposal system that collects and treats the leachate targeted at overcoming the foul smell and river pollution affecting residents nearby.