SANDAKAN – As the locals here spent the first few days of Hari Raya Aidilfitri dressed in their festive outfits at the only mall in the district, they also left behind rubbish at the Harbour Square here.
It was captured in a TikTok video that has gone viral on social media a few days ago, in which children can be seen playing unbothered by the amount of litter surrounding them.
However, the Sandakan Municipal Council (SMC) cleaned up the area with the help of volunteers and Harbour Mall staffers.
Harbour Square is an open space outside of Harbour Mall, located by the sea.
Following this, SMC president Benedict Asmat is mulling stricter enforcement of by-laws against litterbugs in the district. Currently, a person found littering here can be fined RM30.
He added that SMC has been conducting awareness campaigns on cleanliness for years, and that residents should be responsible for keeping the town clean.
The people have to realise that the town’s cleanliness is not only the responsibility of the local council but the residents as well,” he told The Vibes.
Social media users commented on the video that whoever is littering is “uncivilised and dirty” while some blame the migrants here.
Tg Papat kapitan (Chinese community leader) Thomas Lau told The Vibes that he regretted that Sandakan folk have shown such uncivilised behaviour.
“Our anti-litter by-laws are imperative, and our governments must be committed in enforcing them, just as they enforced the health SOPs during the pandemic lockdown.
“Festivals are meant for our enjoyment, after which we have a duty to ensure that we leave the place clean for others. Let us be appreciative, not selfish.” – The Vibes, May 7, 2022
