SIBU: The Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) will implement several measures to put an end to river litter.
These include working closely with the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) and Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) to disseminate information on the importance of river cleanliness.
The council will also continue to be actively involved in carrying out gotong-royong and ‘plogging’ (jogging while picking up litter) with the Nangka Service Centre and local communities.
“Our councillors recently had a meeting with SRB Sibu branch assistant controller Hatta Morshidi to discuss the matter, along with representatives from the DID, and PBB Nangka Service Centre,” said SMC deputy chairman Bujang Zainuddin Abdul Majid.
In addition, he said SMC would collaborate with SRB and DID to organise an awareness campaign to better educate the public on the importance of river cleanliness.
Recently, Local Government and Housing Assistant Minister Dr Annuar Rapaee raised the issue of river littering, notably at Igan River.
He said the problem would have a negative impact on villages along the river, especially Kampung Datu, Kampung Hilir, Kampung Baru, Kampung Pa’Dris and Kampung Nangka.
He added that SMC had also discussed on collaborating with other government agencies, the local communities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to effectively address the problem.
The meeting was chaired by SMC Public Health, Environment and Municipal Services Standing Committee deputy chairman Jenny Ting. Others in attendance were councillors Ibrahim Laili, Izkandar Roseley and a representative from the state DID, James Yu.
Ends with pix SBW-mps-2409-ne-translated > >> Hatta (third right) in a discussion with the SMC councillors and representatives
