It takes joint effort to keep our rivers clean

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) finds it absolutely disgusting about the apathy of people who threw about one tonne of rubbish into the Sungai Pinang. The rubbish trapped by the river’s log boom is then fished out by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) daily.

We urge the Penang state government to install close circuit TV (CCTV) cameras at strategic locations along Sungai Pinang to catch the offenders and if possible, fence up the riverbank wherever possible, particularly near residential areas.

The government should also consider amending the Environmental Quality Act (EQA) 1974 to increase the number of fines and prison terms. Even then it needs genuine enforcement effort to haul those responsible to court impose the most deterrent punishment.

The local council must provide amenities for people to dispose of large items, like mattresses and furniture.

Cleaning the river of rubbish is not the sole responsibility of the government. The people have to be responsible too in taking ownership of public properties and feel proud about it. One excellent example of the public successfully taking ownership of public property is the Sungai Ara Linear Park which serves as one of the main green lungs of the neighbourhood.

It is not impossible to achieve if there is a joint effort between the public and the government to eliminate the root cause of the problem.

Mohideen Abdul Kader
President
Consumers Association of Penang (CAP)

Letter to the Editor, 13 April 2022

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