Install CCTV to deal with illegal dump sites issue

SHAH ALAM - On Feb 5, the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) revealed that it had closed 2,093 illegal waste dumping sites involving clean-up costs amounting to RM1.6 million throughout last year.

Its minister Nga Kor Ming said 15 cases have been brought to court and convicted, with a total fine of RM168,000 imposed.

He said if the issue involving illegal dump sites persisted, the ministry will consider a proposal to amend the law to double the fine.

This issue was not something new and in fact, almost every year there were irresponsible parties throwing garbage at illegal dump sites.

For example, on Dec 3 last year, Sinar reported that approximately 300,000 residents in seven villages suffered due to the unpleasant smells and smoke emitted from waste disposal in Batu 14, Kapar, Selangor since 2020.

Kapar Action Group chairman Rahim Iska said the seven affected villages were Kampung Sungai Serdang, Jalan Suara, Tambak Jawa, Kampung Batu 12, Kampung Tok Muda, Kampung Bukit Kerayong and Kampung Bukit Kapar.

He said ​​​​​ the problem arose after some parties illegally dumped garbage in nearby area, covering more than 1.2 hectares.

As a developing country, hygiene and environmental care needed to be taken seriously by all parties.

A clean and comfortable environment is very important in the city and in the countryside.

Residents will not only feel calm, but the residential area also becomes comfortable and peaceful if the environment is well-taken care of.

It was also one of the important factors for tourism attraction thus encouraging the generation of local economic income.

For this reason, the efforts of the government and the authorities were crucial in ensuring that the country was clean from the dumping of garbage at illegal dump sites.

In fact, the effort also required cooperation from the local population to fight against the immoral activity.

In August 2022, it was reported that Malaysia was ranked 130th in the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) with an EPI score of 35.00. EPI ranks 180 countries based on climate change, environmental health and ecosystem vitality.

Based on the annual index report, Denmark excelled with a score of 77.90, followed by the United Kingdom (77.70) and Finland (76.50) and India was at the bottom with a score of 18.90.

From the report, the country carried a heavy responsibility to ensure that the environment remained clean and of good quality.

In the meantime, dumping garbage at illegal sites can have various implications for the country's socio-economics, image and reputation.

A large pile of garbage and waste also caused clogged drains and blocked water drainage.

As a result, when the country entered the monsoon season, floods will often occur in the affected areas thus causing property damage. The situation certainly has a negative impact on the perception of foreign investors to invest in this country.

Therefore, the installation of closed circuit televisions (CCTV) should be implemented at every location of illegal dump sites to catch the individuals involved.

The move not only helps the authorities track down the masterminds who threw garbage in the area, but also to warn anyone who committed similar mistakes.

The action to some extent can help the government's efforts in the mission to reduce illegal dump sites in the country.

What was important was that the government and authorities needed to be firm in dealing with the issue of illegal dump sites and impose appropriate punishment on the perpetrators.