Kajang residents: Sort out uncollected rubbish and unlicensed stalls

The Star, Thursday March 6, 2014 

by farah fazanna zulzaha AND yvonne t. nathan

Attracting rats and pests: Uncollected rubbish that have piled up at a garbage disposal area near Taman Megah Cheras 2 Apartments. - filepic

KAJANG residents are hoping to see improvement in services in the Kajang Municipal Council’s (MPKj) area of jurisdiction now that the councillors have been named.

StarMetro looked into a few problems that had plagued the residents over the past few months, among which are uncollected rubbish and the sprouting of unlicensed stalls.

Uncollected rubbish

Kajang and Bandar Baru Bangi residents had expressed their disappointment with the garbage contractors for not keeping to the schedule.

Uncollected rubbish had accumulated for days and even weeks in some areas.

Taman Muhibbah resident Munirah Hashim, 34, said the rubbish collection contractor had not been consistent in collecting rubbish in the area.

“Sometimes they come, sometimes they don’t. It is as if they have their own schedule and collect the rubbish whenever they feel like it,” she said. 

Domestic rubbish collection is scheduled to be collected thrice a week — either on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, or Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Munirah said the situation was frustrating because domestic waste from the kitchen would get smelly when not collected for a few days.

“Not only will the smell get worse, stray cats and dogs will rummage the garbage and leave a huge mess behind,” she said.

Munirah hopes the MPKj councillors will work together with the residents to bring up the issues to the council administration.

Taman Desa Seruda residents have had enough with irresponsible people dumping garbage along Jalan Abim. The residents have put up their own signage. This is despite the council having put up similar warning signs there.

A resident, Ahmad Kamal Rashidi 45, said they had organised a gotong-royong a few weeks ago to clean up the rubbish in the area.

“The MPKj warning signboard is not effective, so we had to take the matter into our hands. 

“We also cordoned off the area with tape to stop people from dumping rubbish there,” he said.

Jalan Kajang Perdana 8A and 8B Residents Association vice-chairman Mahendran Muthusamy said the residents, who had moved to the residential area about nine years ago, were upset with the council’s services.

“Complaints were made but action was never taken. If at all action was taken, it was only a few months after the complaint was made,” he said.

Mahendran said the residents had organised a gotong-royong to clean up the area themselves.

Mahidah Zakaria, 30, of Bandar Baru Bangi said rubbish collection services recorded its worst “performance” in November and December 2013 and January this year.

“Although the contractor’s contract may be ending, it does not mean they should slack on the job,” she said, adding that MPKj should be more stern with the contractors. 

MPKj public relations head Kamarul Izlan Sulaiman said the council had appointed supervisors in key ares to monitor the rubbish collection.

“The amount of rubbish will increase during festive seasons and our landfill in Semenyih has a limit each day. When it reaches the limit, the contractors have to dump the rubbish at the Sepang landfill,” he said.

Consequently, Kamarul Izlan said, the collection schedule would be disrupted.

“However, this excuse is unacceptable. We will take action against the contractors if they fail to collect rubbish more than three times,” he added.

Unlicensed stalls

More unlicensed stalls had cropped up around commercial areas in the Kajang municipality over the past two years.

Business owners and residents of Bandar Mahkota Cheras and Bandar Sungai Long said they included carwash stands as well as burger and fruit vendors.

Bandar Sungai Long resident T.L. Boon said the stalls operating without licences encroached on public parking spaces, taking up grassy sidewalk buffers and landscaped kerbs.

“They occupy parking bays and some have even cemented green spaces reserved for future use, such as for the widening of roads.”

A Bandar Mahkota Cheras Traders Association committee member, who wanted to remain anonymous, said there was already stiff competition among legitimate businesses without having to contend with unlicensed stalls.

“These legitimate businesses pay up to RM3,000 in rent.

“Shopkeepers have complained about the unfairness of competing with makeshift stalls conducting the same type of businesses but did not pay rental or a licence fee,” he said.

He suggested that roadside stalls relocate to a wet market in Bandar Mahkota Cheras, which would be completed in two years.

“Illegal vendors are operating their businesses at junctions and street corners, making it dangerous for motorists and pedestrians.

“We hope MPKj will ensure they conduct businesses in a proper way,” said the committee member.

Speaking for MPKj, Kamarul Izlan said the council would take action against unlicensed stall owners who operated their businesses from a permanent place in commercial areas.

“MPKj will issue compound notices to them, but our main concern is the hygiene level at these illegal stalls,” he added.