The six-month trial anti-litter programme initiated in Gugusan Manjoi, the largest cluster of traditional villages within Ipoh, has won the hearts of residents.
After just seven weeks, the residents are giving the waste collection company E-Idaman the thumbs up, saying the programme has eliminated illegal dumpsites, resulting in a cleaner environment because cats and dogs no longer have bags to rip open.
The trial began early in January with the company distributing free dustbins to all households and simultaneously spring cleaning the entire neighbourhood.
Senior couple Mohd Tahir, 70, and his wife Esah Mohd Hashim have lived on Jalan Datin for 40 years and said that since the start of the programme illegal dumpsites had stopped.
“Our house is on the junction with the main road. In the past, I would hang my bags out for collection but passers-by would then leave their rubbish nearby.
“Animals usually tear up the waste bags and that leaves a foul smell. Ipoh City Council (MBI) only collects the bags. The torn bags are left on the road and they foul up the neighbourhood for days,” he said.
“Now every house has a dustbin and we have clean streets. It is an improvement,” said Esah, who admitted they had never owned a dustbin before January.
Just around the corner on the main road Jalan Raja, roti canai sellers Nor Ainshah Dahlan and Suhaimi Zambri said that the initiative was a general improvement.
“As there are no more illegal dumpsites along the roads and this make the neighborhood cleaner,” said Ainshah.
Indeed E-Idaman’s service has been so good that residents themselves have adjusted their mind-set not to litter, said stallholders Nor Azlinda and Nur Amira.
The trial was launched by mayor Datuk Zamry Man to monitor and evaluate the quality of service provided by government-appointed concessionaires SWCorp and Environment Idaman, and in collaboration with the city council.
E-Idaman state operations manager Nur Azam Ahmad Zaini said the first priority was to distribute 120-litre dustbins to the households and 600-litre bins to commercial premises.
“Through January and February, by working with the village chiefs, we distributed over 90% of our allotted dustbins,” said Azam. – March 4, 2016.
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