Keeping it clean and shunning plastic

Published on: Sunday, March 03, 2019

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So – can we talk about hygiene and health and the environment? From an observer’s point of view. I live here, I like it, but I am sad about some of the less fragrant aspects. And if I am occasionally shocked, I should think other visitors and inhabitants are too.

Whoever said something like ‘you can tell the state of someone’s kitchen by the state of their lavatory’ had a strong point. Need I say more?

Public lavatories must be very difficult to keep clean, but other countries manage, rather well. Other cities too – KL, for one, and Singapore of course. In KK, I have come across some sparkling ones, but they are in the minority. For starters, people need to decide whether they want to use paper or water, and either way, keep their choice private.

It’s horrid (and unhygienic) putting used paper in an open bin, but it would be great if it was available. Amusingly – I went to a loo the other day to be met with signs that it was for “urination” only! And of course there was no paper…

If there is only water available, all well and good, but there is no need to spray the floor and the walls as well as the place in question, surely? I have lost count of loos where I have not been able to emerge without my skirt or trouser bottoms soaking, and where I have been unable to put my bag down. Many don’t have hooks on the back of the doors either, so the choices are limited. A plea, therefore – please KK could you think about keeping your loos clean? And schools – could you teach your students how to do this too?

My next gripe is about plastic, particularly single use plastic, which adds to the general rubbish that is everywhere.

Not original, I grant you, but it remains a really serious problem – and really antisocial, too. The shoals of plastic rubbish that wash up on the shore are frightening, and the junk on what should be clean white sand for everyone to use is no better.

Take a boat to the islands and you pass bobbing bottles, plastic bags and nappies.

Walk down the street and there are all sorts on the pavement, in the gutters, in the grass. One of the reasons I can see is that there are not enough bins and not enough encouragement to use them.

Perhaps more can be installed, with bright signage saying what they are and why it is a good idea to use them.

I can’t see a downside to this… Could people be encouraged to carry drinking water in stronger plastic bottles that can last? There are plenty available. Another thought is that in some countries there is a refund for the return of used glass bottles. Could this be implemented here? Companies would save on containers and people would make a tiny bit of money.

I wonder if schools teach anti plastic and throwing your rubbish away considerately? I know that when I went to Pulau Gaya school, they were made aware of the problem, and one teacher had used the bottles etc to make artwork to stress recycling possibilities. Impressive.

Next – plastic bags. When I arrived here, and refused a bag, taking out my own to use instead, the assistants were amazed, and giggled a lot. Now I am still offered a bag automatically, but when I refuse it, I am not thought to be as peculiar as before.

But I am still offered a bag – is there a chance that shop assistants could wait to see if people have brought their own, or offer shoppers one that will last more than one use?

Lastly – I wish that beautiful stretch of sand at Tanjung Aru could be used for more than standing on to gawp at the sunset. I am a prize gawper, but it would be fantastic if we could swim without fear of e coli and attendant horrors.

At the moment there are jelly fish – can’t do much about them. They have just as much right to be in the water as I have, but all the gunk that causes the water to be described as dangerous to health doesn’t.

Any chance it could be cleaned away? I expect there are all manner of complications we are unaware of, but Malaysia is a world leader in technology, isn’t it, and it is by no means the poorest country in the world, so…?

These are all questions that many people (Sabahans and foreigners) are asking. I am not a politician or an engineer, but surely some of the remedies don’t have to be very expensive (except possibly for the water cleaning) or very difficult to implement. Perhaps KK could start with bins and bags and take it from there? Education helps here too – everyone looks at the posters for the latest mobile phone. Perhaps there could be some beside them encouraging care for our environment, and showing how to contribute – just a little – to keeping this beautiful island clean and pleasant to live in.

Just a thought – from the outside looking in…