Aiming for clean city goal

EVERY year, the local authority in Klang sets aside a large budget to carry out various initiatives to keep the city clean.

For 2024, Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) allocated close to RM80mil for rubbish collection and cleanliness.

Klang deputy mayor Mohd Zary Affendi Mohd Arif said the city council had invested time and money hiring workers to clean up illegally dumped garden refuse and bulk waste in housing estates.

“MBDK’s enforcement team carries out surveillance to watch out for indiscriminate dumping of waste. The city council also follows up on public complaints by clearing up rubbish.

Mohd Zary: MBDK is investing time and money to hire workers to clean up illegally dumped garden refuse and bulk waste.

“We also review previous MBDK efforts initiated in focus areas to find a better solution in achieving our goal for a cleaner city.

“As a result, the Environmental Services Department came up with the Clean City Campaign (CCC) which tackles littering, illegal dumping of bulk waste and addresses residents’ concerns about rubbish,” said Mohd Zary.

He said the campaign was based on four pillars – information gathered and examined which was crucial for customer-focused initiatives; understanding the effectiveness of services; awareness and engagement programmes for behavioural change and enforcement measures.

KDEB Waste Management workers carrying bags of rubbish along Jalan Teluk Pulai in Klang.

Environmental Services Department director Zaireezal Ahmad Zainuddin said the data collected had helped MBDK develop customer-focused initiatives.

“With the data and onsite improvements, we are able to help our team understand better and plan resources at areas in need of help,” he said.

Taman Sentosa, Port Klang town as well as certain areas in Bukit Tinggi, Kapar and Bandar Baru Klang which were once considered problematic areas, were visibly cleaner now due to these efforts, he said.

A children’s playground at Bandar Bukit Tinggi 2 is visibly clean since the Klang Clean City campaign was implemented.

“The department engages with residents to help them understand their responsibilities besides keeping them informed about initiatives taken to maintain cleanliness. We also encourage residents to report on issues of concern,” he said.

Zaireezal added that strict enforcement was crucial in addressing problems related to illegal dumping of garden and bulk waste.

“By compounding wrongdoers, MBDK increases its visibility hence the CCC has been effective in bringing about behavioural change,” he said.

He said through engagement with residents, the city council learned that residents wanted cleaner public spaces.

MBDK plans to engage with people living in shophouses along Jalan Mempelam in Taman Gembira, Klang to get them to stop dumping rubbish along the road.

“Creating and maintaining a clean city cannot be achieved by any one team in MBDK but it needs active participation of everyone including residents and business owners,” he said.

Zaireezal said the increase of migrant workers residing in shophouses was another area of concern.

“Such areas tend to have more domestic waste and litter.

Zaireezal: Being able to use data collected helps MBDK develop customer-focused initiatives.

“MBDK is educating migrant workers on the need to keep the areas where they live and work clean,” he said adding that it was important to negate behaviours that do not value public cleanliness.

Besides this, Zaireezal said raising the standards of public cleanliness, concept of shared responsibility as well as encouraging people to be proud of the area they live in has to be promoted.

MBDK councillor Jacky Ng Chee Eng said the campaign was designed with the aim of improving cleanliness in Klang.

“The city council, through the campaign, wants to educate the public about not littering or leaving bulk items along road bends,” he said.

“We want to encourage residents and visitors to feel safe and love where they live and work.”

Ng said the Environmental Services Department had been aggressive in trying to keep the city clean.

Ng: The Clean City Campaign will help discourage anti-social behaviour like littering and leaving bulk items along road bends.

“Through engagement with residents, we have noticed behavioural change. Residents are now bagging their garden waste and calling for bulk waste pick-up,” he added.

Bandar Botanic Residents Association president Fong Tang Chong said there had been lots of improvement in most Klang neighbourhoods because residents were beginning to see the benefits of keeping their surroundings clean.

Fong: There is a lot of improvement in Klang neighbourhoods as residents are realising the importance of keeping clean.

“MBDK has been engaging with the people on the value of living in a clean neighbourhood as it goes beyond aesthetic appeal. Cleanliness contributes to improved mental health,” he said.

Selangor Safe Community and Environment Association ad hoc committee head Dr Elangovan Krishnan said commercial areas, too, were a lot cleaner these days.

“Being able to achieve a clean and well-maintained city will help build a positive perception of Klang. Improved perception among residents and visitors will help reposition Klang as a safe and attractive place to live in. This, in turn will attract new residents, visitors and businesses,” he said.

Elangovan: A clean and well-maintained city will help residents and tourists have a positive perception of the city.

Klang MP V. Ganabatirau said MBDK councillors and area supervisors must team up to proactively identify and address issues in residential areas to reduce the number of complaints received.

Area supervisors are in charge of overseeing street cleaning and rubbish collection.

He said area supervisors, while going about their job, could help report to the respective MBDK departments on potholes, road defects, clogged drains and indiscriminate waste dumping.

“Councillors need to demonstrate good leadership and understand people’s views and be a bridge between MBDK and the people,” he said.