Retired lorry driver Yeoh Say Bah, 75, has become a celebrity in Taman Tinggi and the surrounding housing estates in Ipoh.
He has become a well-known figure in the local community for his untiring efforts in keeping the children’s playground and jogging track near his house clean and tidy.
Every morning, from Monday to Friday, if the weather permits, he is seen with a cangkul and rack trimming the grass or just generally cleaning up.
It began more than a year ago. One day, he decided to trim the grass around the track and while he was at it, pick up the litter and make sure that the drains were unclogged as well.
In the beginning, everyone thought Yeoh was just eccentric.
While most of the senior citizens were taking a morning walk around the track, he was attending to the playground.
Some even ridiculed him and asked whether he was being paid by the city council.
He has since been back to tend to the 400m a number of times.
When the regular morning folk taking their exercise there realised that he was doing it for the simple pleasure of seeing the place spick and span, they became much more appreciative of him.
They would often stop to talk with the man, who was always ready for a chat.
A whip-round was even held to to get him a new hoe.
“No-one prompted me to do it. I was just dismayed at the city council’s failure to properly maintain the playground and the jogging track, and decided to do my part,” he told The Malaysain Insider.
“I can’t bear to see all the rubbish, logged drains and overgrown grass.
“By doing something about it, I am also getting some morning exercise.
“I’m glad the residents are appreciative of what I am doing.
“I hope I can inspire them to also keep the neighbourhood clean and tidy,” he said.
His absence from the jogging track recently was a cause of concern for the morning visitors, who had grown used to seeing him around.
His reappearance a few days later was a relief for everyone.
“I had a fall and hurt my shoulder and needed to take a rest,” he explained.
Yeoh is vocal in his criticism of the city council’s failure to keep the housing estates clean.
“Why inspect the houses for mosquito breeding grounds? They should first inspect the drains around the housing estates and clear the overgrown bushes and rubbish dumps regularly,” he said.
He claimed the city council was not efficient enough.
”If I could write, I would send complaint after complaint to the city council and the state government every day,” he said.
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