GEORGETOWN – An MCA member has denied allegations that he was seeking cheap publicity with his plunge into Sg Pinang, which has been polluted for the past few decades, to collect rubbish.
Cheah Chin Woon, Penang MCA’s social movement bureau chief, said it was meant to raise public awareness on keeping the environment, especially rivers, clean.
He said he received negative criticism from various quarters who said his actions were politically motivated, rather than being sincerely intended to raise environmental issues.
“I did not imitate anyone in jumping into the river to do cleaning work.
“I am very disappointed because what I did to protect the environment has been politicised to the point of tarnishing my reputation as a businessman,” he said at a press conference at the state MCA headquarters today.
Cheah, who admitted to having some skin problems due to allergic reactions after he dipped in the river, said he was sincere in attempting to highlight an environmental matter and it was not a political stunt, as claimed by the opposition.
In fact, he stressed, before deciding to dive into Sg Pinang, he had written a letter to state Infrastructure and Transport executive councillor Zairil Khir Johari, and sent a shirt on which he had drawn an environmental message to Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, but did not receive any response.
"After this, I will spend every May 27, which is my birthday, cleaning the river. I hope all communities do so as well to keep our river clean from garbage and pollution,” he said.
Cheah said it was time for the government to take legal action against those who throw garbage indiscriminately and cause pollution.
He said existing enforcement actions need to be tightened further in order to educate future generations.
Last Thursday, Cheah went down into a drain that supplies municipal water to Sg Pinang to clean the rubbish in it. – The Vibes, April 19, 2022
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