Clear Kota Kinabalu compounds of rubbish
Published on: Friday, January 12, 2024
By: Sidney Skinner
The bulk waste at the Tanjung Aru flats was loaded onto a RORO bin.
RATEPAYERS who pile up rubbish inside their compounds could find themselves RM1,000 poorer for allowing their premises to become a public nuisance or potential breeding ground for harmful pests, especially Aedes mosquitoes.
A spokeswoman for the City Hall’s Environmental Health Department said this was the maximum fine which could be imposed in court, under the Local Government Ordinance 1961 (Amendment 2000).
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“Alternatively, they might have to spend up to six months behind bars for failing to take better care of their yards,” she said.
“In the worst case scenario, they could be slapped with both a fine and jail-term.”
City Hall staff carrying out the follow-up inspection in the Taman Fu Yen area earlier this month.
She said notices would initially be served to errant premises-owners, asking them clean-up their yards, including getting rid of any empty containers or other receptacles in which rainwater might collect.
“They will be given a grace-period to fulfil our requirements. A follow-up inspection will be carried out after this.
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“Further action will be taken against those who have not complied.”
She did not rule out the possibility of their cases being referred to the agency’s Legal Department so that the offenders could be taken to court.
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She was responding to concerns about the potential mosquito habitats which could form among the various unwanted items strewn about a Luyang commercial premises and on the grounds of the Tanjung Aru flats.
A Taman Fu Yen ratepayer and Tanjung Aru flat-dweller separately claimed to have noticed an increase in the number of these insects buzzing about their home and unit off late.
They feared that their family and neighbours would be put at risk, if a dengue outbreak occurred in their areas.
Personnel with City Hall’s Vector Control Division (VCD) inspected both locations last month, according to the spokeswoman.
“They concluded that there was a greater likelihood of mosquitoes breeding around the Taman Fu Yen business premises because of the number of unwanted items strewn around the building,” she said.
“Empty paint buckets, stacks of wooden planks and, even, a washing machine was spotted on the grounds.”
She said VCD staff had a word with those working there about this clutter.
“Our health inspectors were made to understand that the storage space for the premises had been downsized, when the building was renovated recently.
“These different items could no longer fit into the store.”
She said a “notis penambah baikan (improvement notice)” was later served to the owner, with these employees accepting it on his/her behalf.
“They verbally agreed to tidy up the compound and dispose of any items that could not be put away.
“VCD personnel returned earlier this month to find that they had kept their word.”
In the case of the Tanjung Aru flats, the spokeswoman said there was little chance of Aedes mosquitoes spawning in the soiled water which was found to be pooling behind some of the blocks.
“The ‘kekeruhan’ (murkiness) of these fluids made these pools a poor breeding ground.
“Nevertheless, our health inspectors detected a bad smell permeating the grounds and traced it to several overflowing manholes here.” On top of this, they noticed piles of bulk waste – including unwanted furniture and mattresses –at the back of some of the buildings, according to her.
“They got the impression that several of these discarded items had been there for some time and pointed this out to the developer’s staff who accompanied them during this check.”
“The individual was urged to deal with the garbage and sewage irregularities accordingly.”
During a follow up check, she said, VCD staff found that the company had heeded this advice. The firm’s employees informed our personnel that the pipes beneath the affected manholes had been cleared which allowed the level of sewage inside to recede.
“A contractor had also cleaned up the areas where the water had been pooling, while another had taken away all the bulk waste.”
The latter had apparently brought in a Roll-On-Roll-Off (RORO) bin to facilitate the removal effort, according to her.
She said a City Hall tanker was even deployed to pump out the effluent from the sewer line servicing the flats at one point.
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