BATU KAWAN, Sept 4 ― The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) workers had to toil for 36 hours to clean up piles of garbage left by the illegal Bersih 4 rally participants in the capital city last weekend.
Therefore, Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said the rally organisers should take up the responsibility of paying the cleaning cost amounting to RM65,000.
He said the organisers had sufficient money to pay the cost as they managed to raise RM2.4 million in funds.
“Not only the garbage, the urine stains of the rally participants at flower pots, behind buildings, under staircases and in drains also need to be cleaned.
“The money (for the cleaning works) is not mine, it is the people's money. If you are brave to do it, be brave to face the consequences...why are they not willing to pay?,” he asked reporters when commenting on the rally organiser's reluctance to pay the RM65,000 cleaning bill.
On the implementation of mandatory separation of solid waste at source in seven states, Abdul Rahman said the ministry was educating every household to better understand their responsibilities.
“So far, the implementation is still in its preliminary stage and we are now in the process of educating households to understand the rules set. Compound fines will only be imposed on June 1, next year, if necessary,” he added.
He said so far, residents especially youngsters in the seven states had welcomed the implementation of the separation of solid waste.
“This implementation will reduce the total government expenditure on the management of waste disposal cost amounting to RM2 billion per year,” he said.
Those involved in the solid waste separation at source are Federal Territories, Johor, Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Kedah, Perlis and Pahang. ― Bernama
