Assemblyman: Change attitude towards cleanliness

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GOTONG-ROYONG alone cannot resolve problems related to cleanliness in housing estates.

Selangor state Housing Building Management and Squatters Com-mittee chairman-cum-Chempaka assemblyman Iskandar Abdul Samad said there was also a need to change the mindset of the public on cleanliness.

He said the local government could only do so much with hiring contractors for garbage collection or having proper drainage system.

“The problems sometimes lie in the attitude of the people.

“For example, we have the same kind of apartments like in Singapore but why is it that theirs are much cleaner?,” he asked during the launch of the gotong-royong programme in Taman Chempaka recently.

He said a lot of effort had been put in by the state government but the public had to play a greater role in terms of keeping the environment clean and pristine.

“The problem with rat infestation exist everywhere but if we were to have proper garbage disposal bins, this can also be reduced,” he said.

He said they were planning to advocate the use of proper bins in every home in Ampang.

Iskandar also said instead of throwing food waste into bins, the public could turn them into compost.

The gotong-royong event was held by the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) with Zone 15 residents committees and Sara Lee Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

Alos present during the event was MPAJ youth and community department director Dr Sarodin Shahri, who said it was important to build a sustainable environment through social, economic and environmental programmes.

“The public has a bigger role to play compared with the council because it is our responsibility to keep our environment clean.

“The council’s role is merely to complement the effort by providing logistics,” he said.

He also said the programme was in line with Local Agenda 21 involving the public and private sector.

The gotong-royong programme aimed at educating the public on aedes awareness and cleanliness also includes exhibition, recycling programmes as well as larvae and rats-collecting competition.