KUCHING, May 12 ― More efficient and systematic waste management services are required to go hand in hand with the growing population.
Unsustainable waste management will not only reduce the quality of hygiene and public health, but also impacts society and the environment negatively, said Deputy Sarawak Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
“The issue of ineffective and inefficient solid waste management is one of the constraints and challenges faced in a developing city including Kuching City.
“This issue will continue to drag on and the amount of solid waste will continue to increase in line with the increase in population, the increase in living standards and the rapid development of industrial activities in Kuching City,” he said at the Solid Waste Management and Improvement Workshop launching held at a hotel here yesterday.
Therefore, the authorities should play a role in identifying their respective responsibilities and roles in providing more efficient and systematic waste management services, he reminded.
He added that the two-day workshop will introduce a strategy which can provide specific guidance to all regarding solid waste management that is more sustainable, effective, sustainable, efficient and systematic.
Dr Sim, who is also Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, believed that solid waste management should start from the attitude and level of awareness of the citizens.
Thus, with the new strategy, the authorities can hold awareness campaigns in the context of educating and providing important information to all citizens, he said.
This workshop, he added, also aims to create a more systematic solid management system which can simultaneously improve the quality of the city’s cleanliness.
In an effort to make Kuching City a sustainable city and become a model city in terms of cleanliness for other cities, everyone must give a high commitment and seriousness in ensuring that efforts to improve solid waste management can yield very good results, he stressed.
The workshop also aims to introduce Circular Economy like producing animal feed for chicken and fish from palm oil waste. This will not only reduce waste but also focus more on environmental sustainability as recommended by the Sarawak Premier, he said.
Dr Sim’s text of speech was read out by Deputy Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi.
Present were Kuching South mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng, Kuching North Datuk Bandar Datu Junaidi Reduan and Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) chairman Tan Kai. ― Borneo Post
