Homeowner reminded to clean up compound
Published on: Wednesday, September 28, 2022
By: Sidney Skinner
City Hall staff recording his observations of the untidy compound for this residence in the Kepayan Low Cost Housing area in August.
A RATE-PAYER in the Kepayan Low Cost Housing area has been chided for failing to adequately tidy up his yard where he has piled up various recyclable items.A spokeswoman for City Hall’s Environmental Health Department said the homeowner was reminded to clean up his compound earlier this month and warned that he could be penalised if he continued to disregard this request.
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“This is the second notice which we have issued about the clutter around his house,” she said.
“He has been given a grace-period in which to comply with our instructions.”
She warned that action could be taken against the rate-payer, under the Local Government Ordinance 1961 (Amendment 2000), if he failed to meet the agency’s requirements.
“Non-compliance may see the offender facing court action, with a fine of up to RM1,000 imposed if he is found guilty.
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“Alternatively, he could be slapped with a maximum jail-term of six months for allowing his yard to become a potential nuisance to the public, particularly if mosquitoes make a habitat among the items strewn about the place.”
She said inspectors with City Hall’s Vector Control Division (VCD) found that the overgrown trees in the homeowner’s yard had been pruned when they conducted their check in mid-September.
VCD personnel and his peer from the Enforcement Department were shocked by the mess in this Kepayan home during the Joint Operation.
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“They noted a slight reduction in the number of items which were lying around but were still dissatisfied with the overall cleanliness of the premises.
“A follow-up inspection will be carried out some time later this year, before we decide on how best to proceed.” The spokeswoman said the mess inside the compound first came to light during an “Ops Bersepadu Menangani Wabak Dengue (Joint Operation to Fight Dengue)” between July 27 and August 11.
She said the homeowner with the recycled items was one of three from the same location who received “notis pemberitahuan (friendly notices)” to tidy up their compounds.
Besides the Kepayan Low Cost Housing area, similar notices were also issued in Taman Kinamount, Taman Ridgeview, Taman Friendly, Taman Seri Kepayan, Taman Cantek, Taman Kemajuan and Kg Warisan as part of the Joint Operation.
“The VCD personnel confirmed that the nine others who were notified had fulfilled our conditions by September.”
The spokeswoman said a total of 30 City Hall staff from its Enforcement, Landscaping, Solid Waste Management and Environmental Health Departments participated in the Joint Operation.
The residential areas they went to included Taman Kinamount, Taman Ridgeview 12, Taman Kemajuan, Taman Sempelang, Taman Friendly Phase 3, Taman Foo Loong, Taman Golden City, Taman Kinanty Phase 2, Phase 1 and 2 of Taman Inanam Laut, Taman Kurnia Jaya, Taman Kim Leng, Taman Luyang Phase 2, Taman Ridgeview Phase 9, Taman Bintang, Taman Kepayan Ridge, Taman Sri Kepayan, Taman Cantek and Taman King Lam.
Inspections were also made of Phase 1 and Two of Kg Warisan, the Kepayan Low Cost Housing area and homes along Jalan Donald in Likas.
The spokeswoman said the decision to carry out the Joint Operation was tabled at the Kota Kinabalu Dengue Control Committee meeting in July.
“Over 47 tyres were removed from the public spaces at 23 neighbourhoods involved as there was concern that mosquitoes might be breeding in these objects. “A Taman Kemajuan rate-payer was also penalised for an anti-litter violation during the Joint Operation.”
Offenders can be served with a compound up to RM500 under City Hall’s Anti-Litter By-Laws 1984.
A spokesman for the agency’s Landscaping Department said it took a serious view to unkempt properties which had become a nuisance to the public in these areas.
“We are working with our Legal Department to begin court proceedings against more than 71 negligent rate-payers,” he said.
He said a final warning, signed by the Mayor, would be given to these rate-payers as part of this process. “They will be notified that their ‘overgrown and unmaintained’ land was an eye sore and source of discomfort to the public in the area due to the presence of pests, including mosquitoes, which might be breeding on their property.
“A seven day grace-period will be given for these individuals to abate this nuisance.
“If they fail to comply, then we will have no choice but to initiate legal action.”
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