Lions Club of Perak Silver State and KOHIJAU Organise 3 in 1 Environment Project

 23 Feb 2025

Lions Club of Perak Silver State teamed up with KOHIJAU to organise the 3 in 1 Environment, Health Talk and Hunger Relief projects especially for Muslim Senior Citizens of Kinta Heights in conjunction with the upcoming Puasa and Hari Raya.

The projects initiated by Zone 14 Chairperson, Ln Dr. Richard Ng was participated by LCSPSS President, Ln Wong Tong Meng, VP Ln Tina Leong, BOD Members Ln Girlie Lim and Ln Shirley Foong as well as Ln Leong Cheok Lung from LC Ipoh Central, KOHIJAU Secretary Thinakaran and Mona from Plastic Recycling Factory.

25 senior citizens from Kinta Heights were given a talk on Climate Change and importance of taking climate Action to save our planet. They were also shown how to make eco-bricks.

The participants were also given a talk on health awareness especially High Blood Pressure, High Blood Sugar, Diabetes, Cholestetol and protecting their Liver.

After the talk they were presented Groceries and other food items to ease their burden on high cost of living in view of the upcoming Fasting month.

Visit by HE Dr. Peter Blomeyer, Ambassador of Germany to Malaysia to Ipoh City Watch

On 25 November 2021, Ipoh City Watch will welcome the Ambassador of Germany to Malaysia, HE Dr. Peter Blomeyer who is making a week long visit to Ipoh.

According to the office of the Germany Embassy, the visit to Ipoh City Watch at Kinta Heights is to hold discussion and to understand the efforts by Ipoh City Watch in cultivating recycling culture and promoting low carbon emission in Ipoh.

During his visit to Kinta Heights, we will invite HE Dr. Peter to plant a tree there to commemorate his visit. The tree selected is a bamboo tree. 

Earlier this year, 4 trees have been planted here at Kinta Heights which include 2 Brazilian Iron Trees and 2 Tecoma Trees.

The visit by HE Dr. Peter Blomeyer is to meet the President of Ipoh City Watch to discuss about environmental and low carbon emission efforts undertaken by Ipoh City Watch. During His Excellency visit to Ipoh City Watch at Kinta Heights, we will showcase some of our works done over the past 6 years.

Welcome. Selamat Datang. Willkomen HE Dr. Peter Blomeyer.

About Bamboo Tree:

Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants in the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, but it probably comes from the Dutch or Portuguese language, which originally borrowed it from Malay or Kannada.

In bamboo, as in other grasses, the internodal regions of the stem are usually hollow and the vascular bundles in the cross-section are scattered throughout the stem instead of in a cylindrical arrangement. The dicotyledonous woody xylem is also absent. The absence of secondary growth wood causes the stems of monocots, including the palms and large bamboos, to be columnar rather than tapering.

Bamboos include some of the fastest-growing plants in the world, due to a unique rhizome-dependent system. Certain species of bamboo can grow 910 mm (36 in) within a 24-hour period, at a rate of almost 40 mm (1+1⁄2 in) an hour (equivalent to 1 mm every 90 seconds). This rapid growth and tolerance for marginal land, make bamboo a good candidate for afforestation, carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation.

Bamboos are of notable economic and cultural significance in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia, being used for building materials, as a food source, and as a versatile raw product. Bamboo, like wood, is a natural composite material with a high strength-to-weight ratio useful for structures. Bamboo's strength-to-weight ratio is similar to timber, and its strength is generally similar to a strong softwood or hardwood timber.

Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo

April 15, 2015 By Tan Mei Kuan

Dr. Richard Ng (2nd from left) and Datuk Rusnah Kassim (centre) launching the Trash to Cash Recycling System

The first community recycling project involving the residents of Kampung Jelapang Tambahan was launched by the Executive Councillor for Women Development, Family and Welfare, Dato’ Hajah Rusnah Kassim at the Jelapang Community Hall recently. The programme was jointly organised by Ipoh City Watch, Perak Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation and Rukun Tetangga Jelapang.

With the rise of illegal dump sites in the city, this first-of-a-kind programme is aimed at inculcating good habits in residents and to encourage them to keep the environment clean. This can be achieved by garbage separation and recycling which can help residents to earn an extra income.

Kampung Jelapang Tambahan, which has some 226 households, was picked to spearhead this programme thus becoming the first community in Malaysia to use this technique of garbage separation.

Residents are taught how to separate unwanted items into various recyclable categories before selling it to an appointed collector who comes every Saturday from 8am-11am.

The weight of the items collected would be recorded for a period of 3 months and a correlation be established between the weight and the number of illegal dumpsites. The success of this project would create a model which could be emulated by other resident associations in Malaysia.

In her speech, Dato’ Hajah Rusnah called on Ipohites to support the initiative in order to achieve success. “If they don’t come forward, nothing will happen,” she said during the press conference.

http://www.ipohecho.com.my/v4/article/2015/04/16/community-recycling-model-launched

High Technology Recycling effort undertaken by Rukun Tetangga Jelapang finally recognised and rewarded

8 July 2018

The recycling project launched in Jelapang Tambahan has finally been recognised. The project mooted by Ipoh City Watch in collaboration with Perak SWCorp and managed by Rukun Tetangga Jelapang since April 2015 under the social business concept, has won the Premier Award under the Best Innovative Project category.

RT Jelapang Chairman, Mr. S. Thinakaran, received the certificate and cash prize award of RM500 from Perak State Chairman for Civil Society, YB Sivanesan witnessed by Perak State Director, Department of Unity and National Integration, Tuan Haji Hadi Awang at a ceremony held at Arena Square, Batu Gajah.

Before the recycling project started in Jelapang Tambahan, there were 12 illegal dumpsites found within the community of about 200 houses. The place was also recorded among the highest dengue cases in Perak.

A recycling system was set up at Jelapang Tambahan where RT Jelapang helped to manage the community to bring their recyclables twice a month. Several gotong royong and house to house campaign were also organised to educate the community. The contributors were paid cash based on the type and weight of the recyclables. This system was carried out until December 2016.

When Ipoh City Watch set up Koperasi Alam Hijau Perak Berhad (KOHIJAU) and collaborates with ICycle Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., a new recycling system was launched where contributors used the recycling reward point system where contributors can drop their recyclables at any recycling bins. The recyclables were placed in a biodegradable plastic bags with barcode membership sticker pasted. The recyclables will be collected from the bin every week and sent to a factory where they are sorted and weighed and recycling points were allocated. The recycling points accumulated can then be redeemed with cash or coupons as when required.

The KOHIJAU-ICYCLE system was then launched in Jelapang in January 2017 which enable RT Jelapang to go high-tech to help reduce garbage from going to landfill and in the process contribute some income to RT Jelapang to finance its community programmes.

To date, 8,900 kg of recyclables have been collected from Jelapang Tambahan and a total of RM3,850 has been paid out to the residents. The recycling rate in this village is 17.5% compared to the average national recycling rate of 10%. The 12 illegal dumpsites have disappeared and residents are more aware of keeping the environment clean. The dengue cases has also dropped.

Thus RT Jelapang has successfully helped salvage 8,900kg of garbage from going to the landfills or illegal dumpsites. This is a saving of about RM2,700 to the state government where the government pay an average of 30 sen per kg to contractors.

This is a social business embarked by RT Jelapang to self-finance its activities and help contribute towards eradicating poverty and climate change as stipulated under the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

According to Ipoh City Watch President cum KOHIJAU Chairman, Associate Prof. Dr. Richard Ng, Jelapang Tambahan has set up a good example for other Rukun Tetangga in the state to emulate. Garbage is generated by every members of the community and it is good that RT do something to help educate the community.

For KOHIJAU, this is the 4^th achievements within 2 years. Last year KOHIJAU helped the Slim Village to emerge 3^rd place in the national Premier Village award for cleanliness. KOHIJAU too play a small part in helping SMK Raja Perempuan Ipoh emerged national champion in the Toyota Eco environment project. In March 2018, KOHIJAU helped the Selama Police District to emerge as national champion in innovation for using the KOHIJAU-ICYCLE system. The award received by RT Jelapang is the 4^th one where KOHIJAU has played a key role.

KOHIJAU is now embarking on a new project with RT Jelapang by developing a community fish and agro farming by converting organic waste to fish food and fertilizer. This project if successful can help RT Jelapang reduce 40% of the waste and help generate a good income for the community. It also helps to create jobs and supplement income.

Review of Plastic Ban in Perak and Emulate Japanese Culture during SUKMA and all government functions

6 July 2018 by Dr. Richard Ng

The new Pakatan Harapan government has been urged to review on the previous BN government’s policy of banning plastics as announced in April 2016 which is supposed to be enforced effective 1 June 2017.

The U-Turn was announced by the then Perak MB, Dr. Zambry Abd Kadir about a month before the enforcement of the policy giving excuses that a thorough study was required before enforcing the ban. According to him, we cannot tackle the problems of plastic and polystyrene usage without providing the correct alternative, as well as creating an environment that leads towards the ban.

In April 2016, he announced that the total ban on plastic bags and polystyrene containers would be enforced in stages, starting with state government buildings, cafeterias, and functions to start using biodegradable containers every Friday from June last year. In the second stage, the ban was extended from weekly to daily. It was then extended to cover all municipal councils in the state. The final stage was the ban on polystyrene and plastic bags throughout the state.

If the government is serious about reducing carbon footprint and addressing climate change as one of the goals under the United Nation on Sustainable Development Goals, then the review is imminent. There are two ways to do it: through enforcement and legislation and education.

In Perak with a population of 2.8 million now, a total of 200,000 tonnes of garbage is generated each year and of this total about 30% or 65,000 tonnes made up various plastics and polystyrene. Also there are over 2,000 illegal dumpsites now. As plastics takes years to decompose, the landfills and illegal dumpsites will keep piling up.

We need not to wait for further studies as states such as Penang, Selangor, Melaka and Johor have implemented successfully. The people in these states have adapted to it and are ever willing to cooperate. However, it must start from the government, the corporate sectors, the traders and plastic manufacturers.

We still noticed during Hari Raya Open House hosted by government agencies continued to use disposable polystyrene plastics, plastic spoons and forks as well as plastic straws. The government must stop using single use plastic even though it is a cheaper option to help reduce plastic pollution which is choking our ocean.

Traders must be forced to use plastic containers which can be recycled instead of polystyrene box even though it cost more and not a good alternative.

The better option is to educate the public to bring their own tiffin carrier and mugs when purchasing foods and drinks.

The government must also engage environment NGOs such as KOHIJAU and Ipoh City Watch which have been actively involved in educating the public especially students to practice 3R and use recyclable shopping bags. The community such as senior citizens and single mothers can be taught on upcycling skills to salvage plastics and turn it into bags and other products which can be reuse as decorations, flower pots, stationery holders or even handicrafts.

The enforcement on the banning of plastics can be carried out by business licensing authority especially the local councils. Traders who ignore this ruling will have their business license revoked.

During the recent FIFA world cup in Russia involving Japan, the Japanese fans, players and officers set good examples to the world by picking up thrash left in the stadium and even cleaned up their rooms before they leave. This a habit the Japanese government has cultivated in young Japanese students.

Perak will soon host the 19^th SUKMA Games from 14 to 22 September 2018. This is the best opportunity for Perakians to showcase our good habit by emulating the Japanese to clean up the venue after every event held.

The Perak Chairman for Youth and Sports should look into engaging NGOs and Volunteers to help. Thousands of people will be in Perak during this game and what better way to show that we are not just only a good host but a responsible host. Already Perak is famed for its good food. We must not just display the number medals we receive but also to showcase that we are one of the cleanest if not the cleanest state in Malaysia.

So start to form our volunteer brigade and NGOs, empower them and make our state proud and great again.

Solving the plastic crisis starts with Asia - Bloomberg

26 June 2018 - Adam Minter

Since Jan 1, when China stopped accepting the rich world’s recyclable plastic waste, it’s gotten a tonne of criticism for worsening the already deep crisis of ocean plastic pollution. But China isn’t the only culprit here. This is a crisis made — and growing worse — throughout developing Asia.

Just eight countries in the region are responsible for about 63 per cent of total plastic waste flowing into the oceans. Little of that junk has been exported by rich economies. Instead, it’s almost solely generated by Asia’s newly minted consumer classes, the vast majority of whom lack access to garbage collection, modern landfills and incineration. Any progress in reducing ocean plastic will have to start with them.

A boom in garbage is almost always the result of two related phenomena: Urbanisation and income growth. Rural dwellers moving to the city shift from buying unpackaged goods to buying stuff (especially food) wrapped in plastic. As their incomes rise, their purchases increase. That growth in consumption is almost never matched by expanded garbage collection and disposal. In typical low-income countries, less than half of all garbage is collected formally, and what little is picked up tends to end up in unregulated open dumps. In 2015, scientists estimated that as much as 88 per cent of the waste generated in Vietnam is either littered or tossed into uncontained dumps. In China, the rate is about 77 per cent. By comparison, the US rate is 2 per cent.

Every big city in developing Asia faces this problem. Jakarta’s waterways are choked with plastic trash. In Kuala Lumpur, instances of open dumping line the high-speed train route to the airport. On the outskirts of any Chinese city, loose plastic bags and instant-noodle cups litter every road’s shoulder. Much of this junk ends up in waterways — and, eventually, the ocean. One study found that eight of the 10 rivers conveying the most plastic waste into the oceans are in Asia. China’s Yangtze alone delivers 1.5 million metric tonnes of plastic to the Yellow Sea each year.

Solutions to all this have proved chronically elusive. China has prohibited retailers from providing free plastic bags for a decade, to almost no effect. In Indonesia, longstanding efforts to tax plastic bottles and containers have run into the reality that few locals have access to piped or uncontaminated water. Although recycling is common in Asia, plastic presents an often insurmountable challenge: Technical and environmental factors render much of it unrecyclable, especially in developing regions. In fact, only about 9 per cent of plastics are recycled globally.

Yet there’s another, far more promising option: Improve regular old trash collection. A recent study by the Ocean Conservancy and the McKinsey Centre for Business and Environment found that boosting trash collection rates to 80 per cent in just five Asian countries — China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam — could reduce ocean plastic waste by a whopping 23 per cent over a decade. No other solution can promise such an immediate or lasting impact.

Pulling it off won’t be easy. Garbage collection and disposal is often the most expensive line-item on city budgets in the developing world, and achieving the study’s goal would require US$4 billion to US$5 billion (RM16 to RM20 billion) per year. But that’s not impossible: In the UK, aid organisations are pushing the government to spend 3 per cent of its annual foreign aid on waste collection and disposal in the developing world (currently, it spends 0.3 per cent). If that goal were adopted by other rich countries, it could be a game-changer for ocean plastics.

The private sector could also help. An American advocacy group called Closed Loop Ocean is raising US$150 million from global corporations — including 3M Co, Coca-Cola Co, and Procter & Gamble Co — to invest in scalable waste collection and disposal businesses in India and Indonesia. Petrochemical and plastics companies should be next to join.

All this is just a start, of course. Developing Asia will eventually need many more modern landfills, incinerators and self-funding recycling programmes. But for now, one reform could have a bigger global impact than just about any other: Start picking up the trash. — Bloomberg Opinion

Seminar Pembangunan Ekonomi Rukun Tetangga Melalui Perniagaan Sosial

20 May 2018

On 20th May 2018, Rukun Tetangga Jelapang organised a seminar on social business based on the recycling project carried out at Jelapang Tambahan since 4th April 2015.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Richard Ng, chairman of KOHIJAU was invited to present the Social Business Model and the outcome of the recycling project carried out by KOHIJAU in collaboration with Rukun Tetangga Jelapang. In his presentation, Dr. Richard mentioned that a total of 13,200 kg of recyclables have been collected from residents of Jelapang Tambahan to date. RM4,350 has been paid out to them which will help supplement their income. The recycling rate was 17% which is higher than the national recycling rate of 10%.

About 120 participants from Rukun Tetangga and other NGO members attended the seminar which was held at the Jelapang Town Hall. Tuan Haji Abdul Hadi Salleh, Director of Jabatan Perpaduan dan Integrasi Nasioanl (JPNIN) Perak has kindly consent to grace the seminar. It was also attended by Prof. Datuk Denison Jeyasoorian, fellow ressearcher from UKM and a mover of Civil Society Movement.

There was a talk given by Mr. Mark Voon, an expert on Effective Micro-organism on how to carry composting via EM technology.

During the closing speech, RT Jelapang Chairman, Mr. Thinakaran, thanked KOHIJAU's chairman and his team of volunteers who have helped make the social business of converting trash to cash in Jelapang Tambahan a success. He also thanked KOHIJAU for sponsoring the recycling bin.

Hj Abdul Hadi, Director of JPNIN congratulated RT Jelapang for their great effort in making recycling as part of their activities. He also noted that this is a very good community programme involving residents to keep the environment clean. He thanked KOHIJAU for assisting RT Jelapang and hope that this programme can be extended to a few more areas involving active RT centres. 

The highlight of the seminar is the launch of the 71st KOHIJAU-ICYCLE Recycle Bin for the use by Rukun Tetangga Jelapang to carry out recycling activities using the reward point system.

Also being held are health check, wellness programme, display of up-cycling materials by Tadika Perpaduan Jelapang and recruitment of recycling membership by Icycla Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.

Turning their backs on trash - The Star Metro Perak

5 Feb 2018 by Ivan Loh

(From left) Thinakaran, Ninderjeet and Visveswara sorting recyclable items at the Kampung Jelapang Tambahan community recycling collection centre.

KAMPUNG Jelapang Tambahan now is a far cry from what it was before 2015.

While Rubbish and illegal dumpsites could be found along many of the roads there just three years, things changed significantly after the village started its Community Recycling Project.

Jelapang Rukun Tetangga chairman S. Thinakaran said the village becoming cleaner is all thanks to the project and the caring residents.

“With the current use of the Kohijau-iCycle reward-for-recycling system, it’s getting even better.

“I am not saying there are completely no dumpsites, but they have been reduced significantly – I think by about 90%,” Thinakaran said.

“Among the areas that have seen great improvement in the village are Lorong 4, 8, 14, 16, and 22, though garden waste is still an issue here and there,” he said.

“There are also no longer any complaints about the scheduled rubbish collection by the Ipoh City Council,” he said, adding that there are about 250 households in the village.

“About 30% of the people here are participants of the recycling activities.

“Even the mentality of the younger generation here has changed,” he said.

“They realise the importance of the recycling we do. Many of them are doing their part,” he added.

Thinakaran said the RT is using its own money allocated by the National Unity and Integration Department to pay the residents for their contributions.

“Every month, we pay out between RM250 and RM300 to the contributing residents. They bring in some 400 to 500kg of recyclable items monthly,” he said, adding that Kohijau-iCycle does the record-keeping for the recycling project.

Thinakaran said he is very grateful that there is a group of core people in Jelapang Tambahan who are close-knit and work hard to ensure the recycling programme is a success.

The Kampung Jelapang Tambahan community recycling collection centre

“They always listen to advice about keeping the environment clean have built bonds that help them work together effectively.

“We have our own a Whatsapp chat group about the collection of recyclable items and activities,” he said.

“Of course, there are still some who are not cooperative, despite numerous attempts to get them to join us. Hopefully, one day, we can get through to them,” he added.

Thinakaran said he hopes that the other communities in Jelapang will join them for their recycling efforts.

“Sad to say, not many people here are interested. I really think that Jelapang would be better and cleaner if everyone took part.

Thinakaran said the village’s RT has also been selected by the National Unity and Integration Department to be a model for its community projects for this year.

Kampung Jelapang Tambahan resident R. Visveswara is proud of the clean community field

“We got the letter earlier this month. The departments want us to submit reports on how we can help generate revenue for residents in housing areas or local communities,” he said.

He also said he hopes the residents at Kampung Jelapang Tambahan will continue with the recycling programme so that the village can become the cleanest in the country.

“I also hope the mentality of the people will change to become more civic-minded about the environment and cleanliness.

“I would like to see, one day, that people here automatically pick up any rubbish found on the road,” he said.

Resident R. Visveswara said those involved with the Community Recycling Project campaigned from door to door, urging the residents to join in and take part.

“When the Kohijau-iCycle recycling-for-rewards system started, more and more people got interested.

“While we used to separate our garbage, it has become easier now with Kohijau-iCycle as we just throw everything in bags and these will be sorted by the recycling organisation,” said Visveswara, who is also the village’s RT secretary.

“We hold the recycling project once every fortnight,” he said.

“There are other residents who are selling their recyclable items to recycling centres in Silibin, but we don’t mind as long as they are recycling,” he added.

Another resident, housewife Ninderjeet Kaur, said since learning about composting from the Community Recycling Project, she has been actively doing so.

“It’s not hard. We just need to bury the organic waste in soil and let nature do its job.

“It will normally turn into compost within five to six weeks,” said the housewife.

“The compost can then be used as fertiliser for gardening and small-scale farming,” she said.

Ninderjeet said she gathers organic waste, like fruit peel or leftover vegetables, from some neighbours for composting.

“I always tell them not to throw the waste into the rubbish bin. I bring it back home for composting,” she said, adding that many of the villagers are now composting, all having learned from the recycling programme.

https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news/2018/02/05/turning-their-backs-on-trash-villagers-efforts-shine-as-an-example-of-tackling-cleanliness/

Cultivating Recycling at FINISAR in conjunction with Earth Hour

23 March 2018

Launching of Earth Hour and Recycling at Finisar by Mr. CL Siew, 12th from left together with Dr. Richard Ng on his left.

FINISAR Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., based in Klebang, Ipoh became the second corporate company that has embarked on Recycling as a means to help reduce carbon footprint. It was held on 23 March 2018 in conjunction with Earth Hour which falls on 24 March 2018.

KOHIJAU-ICYCLE system has been selected to help their 5,200 staff to embrace a recycling culture as they found the high technology system less hassle and attractive as it provides incentive in the form of recycling points to contributors of recyclables.

These recycling points can be accumulated and redeemed with cash, TESCO/AEON coupons or donate to charity.

The programme kicked off with a video on Earth Hour and followed by a talk on carbon footprint and 3R by Associate Prof. Dr. Richard Ng, Chairman of KOHIJAU. The recycling bin for KOHIJAU-ICYCLE Recycling Reward Point System sponsored by FINISAR was launched by its Executive Director, Mr. CL Siew.

According to Mr. Siew, FINISAR is committed to Sustainable Environment. The recycling programme launched today will help our staff to participate in helping to reduce carbon footprint which contribute to climate change and global warming..

KOHIJAU Chairman Dr. Richard Ng congratulated FINISAR for their commitment towards reducing carbon footprint. He hope more corporate companies will come forward to emulate FINISAR by helping us to sponsor recycling bins to encourage more people to do recycling.