THERE were many surprised looks when Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir was seen raking grass and collecting rubbish in several areas in the city last Friday.
At first glance many assumed it was just a routine clean up involving Ipoh City Council (MBI) workers. However, on closer inspection, members of the public were surprised to see Zambry, Mayor Datuk Zamri Man, and Women Development, Family, Community Welfare, Housing and Local Government Committee Chairman Datuk Rusnah Kassim taking part in the clean-up operation.
Zambry led the clean up in conjunction with the launch of the Perak Yang Bersih (Clean Perak) campaign, designed to improve cleanliness in the state.
While many would have craved a few extra minutes sleep at 6.30am, the Mentri Besar was up and abpit as he and the others gathered at five areas around the city with rakes, brooms, and plastic bags.
The five areas were the Medan Kidd bus station, the iconic Ipoh Railway Station, which turned 100 this year, the Dato Sagor food court famed for its Roti Goyang, and Concubine Lane.
The teams, comprising state government agencies, non-governmental organisations, and schools, cleaned various part of the city.
Many of the participants of the clean up said the two hours they sacrificed was to raise awareness among the public of what needs to be done to make Ipoh a clean city.
Similar activities were also launched simultaneously in towns throughout Perak’s 12 districts, including Kampar, Bagan Datuk, Taiping, and Parit Buntar.
With thousands of people taking part, Zambry said the response from the public was encouraging.
The Mentri Besar had previously stated that he wants Perak to be the cleanest state in the country.
“This will not be a one-off thing. We hope to make this a weekly or monthly event until we create a culture of cleanliness among the people.
“Ipoh is mostly clean, but we can do better. If a someone walks down the street, we want them to have the mindset of picking up any rubbish that they see and disposing of it properly. The most important thing is to educate people. We will also be making cleanliness a measure of performance for local councils,” he told reporters after launching the campaign at the Ipoh Padang.
At the launch, he said that the state government’s mission is to make Perak a clean state and to make sure that happens, the people will have to work together with the authorities.
“I’m doing this for the state and its people. The idea came about when I saw the situation as it is. I go to the city often with the mayor and some places are just not clean.
“After seeing these places and also other areas across the state, I wanted to start this initiative and was further encouraged when the people of Perak and foreigners said Perak is not a dirty state. However, it would be even better if we could brand it as clean and green.
“We are serious about this and the councils will have to meet the target. We are doing this for people of Perak and a clean city or town will ensure a good future for the younger generation.”
Sharing some of his experiences in various cities around the world, Zambry said cleanliness determines how civilised the city is and he hopes Perak will emulate these cities in the near future.
“In Japan, school kids are cleaning toilets before school session starts. They are inculcating the habits at such an early age. We should do that and that’s the spirit we want.
“I believe Perak can achieve this status. If you walk and see rubbish, collect it and put it in a bin,” he said, adding that all 12 districts in the state today launched the program simultaneously.
His walkabout was also telecast live on Facebook and he went on to say that the whole world knows what Perak is all about and what their aim is.
“Political differences aside, let’s do something great for our state and making it clean will only enhance the image of the state in the eyes of the world,” he said.
On Feb 3, Zambry had also joined a similar clean-up operation, collecting rubbish and emptying waste disposal bins, wearing the orange-coloured T-shirt of an MBI general worker.
“People will criticise me by saying this is a publicity stunt, but they can say what they want. For me, it’s about creating awareness about an issue,” he said.
“By working on the ground, we can also motivate the council workers. We want them to know that they are appreciated and that their jwob is a noble one.”
He added that this will continue as long as he is the leader of the state.
“Some call me publicity seeker but I have done this before without any coverage. When I see a need, I do something about it. For me, actions speak louder than words.”
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