What waste separation, ask city folk as scheme becomes compulsory today - Malaysian Insider

1 Sept 2015

Mandatory waste separation at source starts in many parts of Malaysia today, including the capital, but a large number of folk in Kuala Lumpur are ignorant of the scheme and their role in it.

Bukit Bandaraya Residents Association president Datuk M. Ali said there had been little to no information to aid awareness from the authorities.

“Residents are left in the dark. Those who do know about the waste separation scheme don’t know where to start and others just do not know that it is now mandatory,” he said.

Ali said the authorities had done a poor job of properly raising awareness and had only a few days ago delivered brochures about the waste separation scheme.

“It was only on August 27 that Alam Flora contacted me to discuss the way forward on reaching the residents to disseminate information.

“It's sad that those in charge had sat on it until as late as August 31, instead of reaching out to the rakyat well in advance to explain the format and procedure.

“I have always been pushing for the government agencies and service providers to stop merely ‘sloganeering’ but to ensure actual delivery,” he said.

Ali said while he empathised with Alam Flora’s need for the residents to cooperate in the scheme, the information flyers were  only distributed a few ago before September 1.

A meeting between Alam Flora and Bukit Bandar Raya residents has been tentatively scheduled for September 13, he said.

Kepong Community Centre head Yee Poh Ping said while the waste separation initiative was a positive move, only time would tell if the people would take to it.

“Enforcement through fines will only start next year so maybe it is expected that it will take a few months for the people to adapt,” he said.

However, Yee said, the people of Kepong had long been separating their recyclable waste.

“The people are used to keeping their old newspapers or plastics for the men who come around in their lorries,” he said.

Bandar Baru Residents’ Association secretary Prem Kumar Nair said it would take time for the people to adopt the new practice.

“Right now, many are still uncertain about what they need to do. It’s new so it’s understandable that it will take time to work,” he said.

Prem said Alam Flora would also be meeting with Bandar Baru residents on September 13 to discuss on the scheme.

“It is a good initiative and we will see how it goes at the meeting. If 100 residents show up, the meeting would be a success,” he said.

Meanwhile, those living in highrises are unsure how they are affected by the waste separation scheme.

“I have heard about it (waste separation), but we have not been informed by the management. They should be the ones coordinating this,” said Brendan Wong, who lives in a condominium in Desa Petaling.

Joshua Bryan, who lives in a condominium in Jalan Klang Lama, also said he had not been informed about the mandatory waste separation.

“I have not been told anything about this. There were no notices displayed,” he said.

The Malaysian Insider reported that SW Corp had been tasked to work with residents’ associations, Rukun Tetangga and Joint Management Bodies (JMBs) towards successful implementation of the scheme.

“The main thing that the public has to remember is that it is a 2+1 system, meaning two collection days for residual waste and one day for recyclable, garden and bulk wastes,” said National Solid Waste Management Department director-general Mohd Rosli Abdullah.

Rosli had conceded that implementing the scheme was “a bit of a challenge” in non-landed and high-rise buildings.

“We do provide three types of bins for those who live in highrise buildings and it is the responsibility of the JMB to ensure that the residents separate their waste accordingly.

“Once we start to issue compounds, the JMB will be penalised if the waste is not separated.” he had said.

Under the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007, households in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Pahang, Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Perlis and Kedah are required to separate their waste.

Beginning June 1 next year, households that do not separate their waste will be compounded RM50 for the first offence, and RM100 and RM500 for subsequent offences.

If the compounds are not paid, the offender can be taken to court to face a maximum fine of RM1,000. – September 1, 2015.