Kota Kinabalu: Two tourists provided evidence to the Daily Express they say rubbishes the Tourism Ministry’s noble efforts to promote Sabah during Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
They wondered whether the respective local authorities – in this case City Hall (DBKK) and the Papar District Council – are really doing their part to ensure the areas under their jurisdiction are free of littering – illegal dumping to be more specific.
One of them named Chris, a photographer, said it is ironic that just a stone’s throw from Sutera Harbour and other hotels in Sembulan is a water village filled with refuse of all kinds.
And that clearly the latest garbage to be dumped there have been mounds of banners and flags by political parties that took part in the recent Sabah election.
Another tourist, Anslem Danker, said he was shocked to be confronted by nearly 50 metres of garbage dumped along the road just before the Langkah Syabas resort in Kinarut.
“I was told by staff there that they have complained to the Council who don’t seem bothered.
“According to them, it has been going on for a long time because residents at a Filipino refugee settlement manned by UNHCR across the road have strangely not been provided by any garbage bins.
“Hence, apparently, these refugees dump their waste next to the resort. It is impossible that no government official passing the area has not noticed it either,” he said.
“I would have thought that being Visit Malaysia Year, the relevant local authorities would be playing their part but it is clearly not the case,” he said, adding back in New Zealand where he is from, the heads of both these local authorities would have been replaced as incompetent to hold their posts.
