JB to become zero-waste zone with 24-hour cleaning teams, upgraded infrastructure
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Enforcement efforts would be stepped up with regular patrols and monitoring.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
JOHOR BAHRU – The Malaysian authorities are moving to turn Johor’s city centre into a zero-waste zone, with round-the-clock cleaning teams, stricter enforcement and upgraded waste management infrastructure.
Johor Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) director Zainal Fitri Ahmad said the initiative covers an area of about 423,850 sq m within the city area.
“This zone will be developed as a zero-waste area, which means there should be no rubbish here,” he said during the launch of the operation, called Ops Greater, on March 12. There are 13,956 premises, including residential, commercial and institutional buildings, in the area.
As part of preparations, SWCorp has replaced 10,938 rubbish bins ranging from 120 litres to 1,100 litres, and has deployed 16 waste collection vehicles – comprising 12 large 19-tonne compactors, one 11-tonne mini compactor and three 7.5-tonne vehicles – in the area.
Mr Zainal said 10 permanent cleaning workers will be assigned to the city centre so that the area is constantly kept clean.
“If we depend on (scheduled cleaning), the area may be clean in the morning but dirty again by the afternoon,” he said.
Another initiative, known as Operasi Jeleng, involves patrols using sidecar motorcycles and lorries to collect rubbish spotted along the streets.
Mr Zainal said the city centre is a key location that receives many visitors, including tourists arriving through the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex. “Because this is the city centre and a focal point for visitors, it must be kept 100 per cent clean.”
Mr Zainal added that enforcement efforts would also be stepped up with regular patrols and monitoring.
He also said a Singaporean man will be charged in court on April 1 for a littering offence, with several other cases currently under investigation. “We have about 15 cases that will eventually be brought to court,” he said.
He reminded the public that maintaining cleanliness in the city is a shared responsibility between the authorities, workers and members of the public.
Mr Zainal said the initiative is part of the state’s broader Johor Green Deal effort to create a cleaner and more sustainable urban environment. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
