Littering: 130 in Kota Kinabalu, Luyang and Telipok taken to task
Published on: Tuesday, January 10, 2023
By: Sidney Skinner
Health Department staff taking a closer look at the fluid inside this flower pot during the anti-dengue operation.
A total of 130 City Hall rate-payers from one part of the State Capital, Luyang and Telipok have been taken to task for the litter strewn about the areas where they live.A spokesman for the agency’s Solid Waste Management Department (SWD) said 50 “notis pemberishan (clean-up notices)” were given to occupants at the shophouses in Sinsuran, and 40 each in Taman Kim Leng and Taman Putera Jaya.
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“Those who fail to comply risk being served with a compound for as much as RM500,” he said.
In extreme cases, the culprits could wind up in court, according to him.
“If they are found guilty they face the possibility of being slapped with a fine for as much as RM10,000.”
He said such action could be taken under the agency’s Anti-Litter By-Laws 1984.
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SWD personnel would also be on the look out for those who haphazardly disposed of their rubbish in Sinsuran, Taman Kim Leng and Taman Putera Jaya.
These locations were among 14 which were checked as part of an “Ops Bersepadu Menangani Wabak Dengue (Joint Operation to Fight Dengue)” between City Hall and the Kota Kinabalu Health Office (KKHO).
A larvae sample being taken from the fluid inside this pail.
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The 11 other areas, which were inspected over a recent fortnight, included the Kepayan Low Cost Housing, Taman Sutera Kepayan, Taman Mesra Phase 2, Taman Sempelang, Taman Kim Leng, Taman Seputeh, Taman Luyang Phase 5, Kg Likas Lama, Kg Warisan, Kg Pulau Penampang and Taman Indah Permai.
The spokesman said a further 818 pamphlets – relating to City Hall’s guidelines on the disposal of garden trimmings, on the need to have a dustbin and on its prepaid service for bulk and landscaping waste – were distributed at some neighbourhoods.
About 180 of these printed materials were circulated in Taman Luyang Phase 5, 168 in the Kepayan Low Cost Housing, 150 in Taman Sempelang and 120 each in Kg Likas Lama and Taman Sutera Kepayan, according to him.
He said another 90 of the brochures were distributed in Taman Seputeh.
“The pamphlets were either placed in post-boxes, or given personally to the public, between November 15 and December 21.”
On top of the SWD, personnel with several City Hall Departments – including those from its Environmental Heath, Enforcement, Landscaping, Engineering, Building Control, Suburban, and Traffic and Transport – participated in the Operation.
The State Information Department and representatives from the government concessionaire were also present in some instances.
A spokeswoman for City Hall’s Environmental Health Department said five rate-payers were notified about the disorderly state of their compounds as this mess could potentially lead to a dengue outbreak in their housing areas.
A City Hall staff appears dismayed by the rubbish inside the drain near this bin centre.
She said two notices were issued in Taman Luyang Phase 5 and one each in Kg Likas Lama, Kg Warisan and Taman Sutera Kepayan.
“Non-compliance may see these homeowners facing court action, under the Local Government Ordinance (Amendment 2000), with a fine of up to RM1,000 imposed if they are found guilty,” she said.
“Alternatively, they may have to spend up to six months behind bars for allowing the mess inside their yards to become a public nuisance.”
She said the Information Department broadcast a public service announcement – about dengue fever and provided pointers on how to get rid of potential mosquito habitats – at some of the neighbourhoods involved in the Operation.
“This audio message could be heard coming through the loud-speakers on top of the Department’s van as it moved around these areas.”
A KKHO spokeswoman said seven larvae samples were taken during the inspections.
She said two samples were taken respectively from homes in Kg Likas Lama and Taman Luyang Phase 5.
“Our officers also did this at a home each in Taman Mesra Phase 2 and Taman Sutera Kepayan, as well at a premises in the Sinsuran area.”
She said the samples would be tested at the Health Department’s laboratory.
“The owners of these premises risk being slapped with a RM10,000 fine for inadvertently allowing mosquitoes to breed among the rubbish strewn around their compounds, if the samples come back positive,” she said.
She said these individuals also faced the possibility of having to serve a jail-term of up to two years, if they were found guilty in court.
She said this could be done in extreme cases under the agency’s Destruction of Disease-bearing Insects Act 1975.
Should the Department decide not to initiate legal proceedings, the homeowners might wind up having to settle a RM500 compound, according to her.
The spokeswoman said larvaciding exercises were performed at seven locations involved in the Operation, including Kg Pulau Penampang, Taman Seputeh, Taman Sutera Kepayan, Kg Likas Lama, the Kepayan Low Cost Housing, Kg Warisan and Taman Luyang Phase 5.
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