Do you think it is really possible to clean up the state of Penang, or for that matter, just Penang island?
If the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) is to be believed, it’s possible. MPPP president Datuk Zainal Rahim Seman said on 5 Jun 2007 that all he needed was six months to make this a reality.
I wish him every success in this matter. It’s not because I do not believe him but I want to see the Pearl of the Orient recover its lustre.
I have these random memories that’s representative of the filth that’s every where on Penang island:
- A dead Sungai Pinang that is beyond rehabilitation;
- Rubbish floating beside the ferry terminal, washed here and there by the current but not going anywhere;
- Heaps of rubbish strewn on the roads after the Pasar Malam (night market) finishes for the night;
- Solid waste collection lorries dripping with liquid from rotting garbage as they drive along the roads;
- An equally dead beach along Gurney Drive that’s now home to mud flats and discarded bottles and plastic bags, not to mention more rotting garbage too.
For far too long, the people of Penang have put up with all the rubbish and stench that have made us infamous with tourists. It’s a sad reflection of how Penang has progressed in the 50 years of our nation’s independence. We used to be so clean and a model state for the rest of the country.
Often, we dismiss the rubbish by saying it is the act of a few irresponsible people. However, the reality is that if the civic-concious, silent majority of the people do not speak up, we are just letting the irresponsible ones get away with it and become bolder in the process. Mr Silent Majority, are you proud of your silence, are you proud of your apathy? Does it not concern you as well?
At long last, the MPPP has woken up to the fact that more must be done that simply appointing contractors to clear waste.
But this is not the solution to the problem. As far as I see it, it is only a knee-jerk, temporary effort. You succeed now but can you maintain the cleanliness one year, two years, five years from now?
On the longer term, there must be political will from the State Government, the MPPP – and, I must add, the Province Wellesley Municipal Council (MPSP) too – to educate, engage and involve the residents of Penang.
We are what we eat; we are what we throw away. It’s not easy but unless the authorities step in and say they are dead serious to improve the environment, the fight against rubbish will always remain a great challenge.
So come up with a Master Plan, educate and work closely with the people at all levels to change their mind-set and carry through with your actions. The cleanliness of Penang rests with all of us. I’m sure with the right plan, Penang can become the shiny pearl in the orient again.