Cleaners overwhelmed by food waste in Lebuh Pudu
By BAVANI M
Metro News
Tuesday, 12 Dec 2023


A group feeding the homeless in front of a sign that prohibits food distribution in the area.

“We cannot cope, there is just too much rubbish all the time,” says a tired Alam Flora worker who has been cleaning the historic area in Lebuh Pudu, Kuala Lumpur.

This cleaner, who did not want to be named, was referring to the excessive amount of rubbish thrown by the homeless community either living or loitering in the area in search of food and handouts.

“About 90% of the rubbish here comes from discarded food packaging.

“The food is usually distributed to the homeless community by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and individuals.


The issue of homelessness in the city has been a challenge for DBKL for a long time. — Photos: MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star

“Influencers come here as a way to feel pleased that they have done a good deed.

“They feel good when people run to them for food, give them a thumbs up and thank them profusely,” he said.

However, these people do not stick around to clean up after the distribution, he added.

“They do not know if the food is being consumed nor do they realise that if the food isn’t tasty, it ends up in the drains.

“When we tell them that they are not supposed to feed the homeless here, they get angry with us.

“I have seen groups arriving in big cars with video crews, taking pictures and videos to post on social media and show their ‘charity work’,” said the cleaner.

He said the people giving out food were unaware that 80% of it ended up in the bin.

“I have seen people take a packet of nasi goreng with telur mata kerbau (fried egg), eat the egg and discard the fried rice,” he said.

He also highlighted that the rise in the rat population was because of the high amount of food wastage.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) only allows the public to distribute food at the homeless shelter in Jalan Medan Tuanku 2.

The issue of homelessness in the city has been a challenge for DBKL for a long time.

Things went from bad to worse from April 2020, during the movement control order (MCO) to curb the Covid-19 pandemic.

The management of the homeless falls under the purview of the Welfare Department and Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.

In July 2020, the then Women, Family and Community Development minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun informed Parliament about the government’s plan to review Destitute Persons Act 1977 to better address homelessness.

Rina reported that 1,238 homeless people were rescued during the MCO period, with 50% taken off the streets of Kuala Lumpur and the rest primarily from Johor and Sarawak.

However, current observations on the ground suggest that the number of homeless people in Kuala Lumpur has grown and is increasing daily.


Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news...e-in-lebuh-pudu

Strewn rubbish mar KL’s historic sites
By BAVANI M
Metro News
Tuesday, 12 Dec 2023


Jane is baffled by DBKL’s decision to place rubbish bins right next to a tourist attraction at Lorong Yap Ah Loy.

Tour guides specialising in Kuala Lumpur’s heritage sites have opted to exclude certain old-world charms from their itinerary, as the once beautified areas have turned into rubbish dumping grounds.

Free Walk Kuala Lumpur Unscripted founder Jane Rai, who conducts heritage tours on foot, was embarrassed to explain to tourists why there were overflowing rubbish bins right next to historical landmarks.

“It affects the quality of my tour and disrupts my storytelling.

“In fact, the entire experience just ruins the mood for everyone,” said Jane.


Expired medicine found dumped on Lorong Yap Ah Loy.

She recounted a recent tour with South American visitors, where there were rubbish bins filled beyond capacity next to an information board depicting the life of Kapitan Cina Yap Ah Loy.

“The large bins were filled with rubbish that had been accumulating for several days in an alley on Jalan Yap Ah Loy.

“Additionally, rubbish was scattered on the ground around the bins, emitting an overwhelming stench.

“To make matters worse, pigeon droppings covered the information board,’’ she said.

Jane pointed out that the lane underwent a makeover by Think City and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) in 2018 as part of a project to brighten up and revitalise old and dingy lanes of the city.


Many businesses in the area have closed and become rubbish dumping grounds because of the growing homeless population.

“It was an integral part of my storytelling and quite popular too.

“A lot of money was spent to refurbish the area and make it vibrant, so I cannot understand why DBKL placed rubbish bins here,” she said.

The information board describes the early history of Kuala Lumpur from the 1860s to the present day and was a favourite spot with tourists, generating numerous questions from her guests.

According to Jane, Lorong Yap Ah Loy is not the only place she and her fellow guides are avoiding.


Ng showing photos of VVIPs at his fruit stall throughout the years.

They would also bypass the Historic Triangle, which is part of Heritage Trail 3 on Lebuh Pudu.

This narrow street near Central Market that connects Jalan Hang Kasturi in the west to Jalan Tun Perak in the east, underwent a RM300,000 upgrading project in 2018, aimed at creating clean, safe and vibrant spots for pedestrians and tourists.

The DBKL and Think City collaboration involved laneways at Lorong Bandar 13, Lorong Lebuh Ampang, Lorong Hang Lekiu, Lorong Tun HS Lee South, Lorong Yap Ah Loy, Lorong Pudu, Lorong Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Lorong Hang Kasturi South.


Entrance to Lorong Bandar 13 riddled with rubbish and clothes left to dry on railings. — Photos: MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star

“This entire hub has now become a rubbish dumping ground,” lamented Johan K, another tourist guide.

“Where there are rubbish bins, they are full to the brim, and where there are no bins, plant boxes, decorative art installations, and shop corridors are filled with rubbish.

“Instead of calling it Historic Triangle, they should name it the rubbish triangle or homeless triangle,” he said, referring to the burgeoning homeless population in the area.

“At Lorong Bandar 13, the once-vibrant 100m lane has become a ‘toilet’ for the homeless community so it is another spot to bypass,” he added.

Disappointed and disheartened by the conditions, Jane told Think City about her decision to avoid these areas until the areas were cleaned up.


Ummi (second from right) talking to homeless folk in Lebuh Pudu. — Courtesy of SWCorp

Ng Boon Siew, a fruit trader with 40 years of family history in the area, observed a decline in cleanliness since the Covid-19 pandemic hit and how it had been affecting businesses.

“Today, the number of people who stop by my stall has dropped significantly,” he said, attributing the decline to office closures and relocations because of a growing homeless population.


A mini rubbish house at Lorong Bandar 11 with rubbish scattered all around it.

“In the past, VVIPs would visit my father’s stall to buy fresh fruits,” Ng said, showing old photographs of dignitaries on display at his stall on Lorong Bandar 11.

When StarMetro visited the Historic Triangle, situated in the heart of Lebuh Pudu, a woeful scene unfolded – rubbish was scattered throughout.

An abandoned DBKL-owned building in the centre of the Historic Triangle has been turned into a rubbish dump, while the red steel sculpture by artist Stephanie Kuen was surrounded by discarded items.

In Lorong Bandar 11, undesirable graffiti covered walls and the place was strewn with rubbish. The mess extended to a mini rubbish house meant for rubbish disposal.

Someone had also disposed a cat carcass at the site.

Lorong Bandar 13 painted a similarly grim picture – the area appeared neglected and had been transformed into a makeshift public toilet that doubled as a laundry spot for the homeless.

T-shirts, pants, shorts and underwear were left to dry haphazardly strewn along railings and amid plant bushes.

Lorong Yap Ah Loy presented its own set of challenges – a car occupied a no-parking zone and two rubbish bins stood out like a sore thumb next to a colourful info board on Kapitan Yap Ah Loy.

Illegally dumped rubbish lined the side of the lane and hundreds of expired strips of medicine were found at the site.

“The deplorable conditions witnessed during our tours serve as a distressing snapshot of the state of these heritage locations,’’ Jane lamented.

“The urgent need for restoration and maintenance is evident, as these sites, once vibrant and culturally significant, now suffer from neglect and misuse,” she emphasised.

Meanwhile, when contacted, Think City’s urban mechanics, placemaking lead director Daniel Lim said he was aware of the situation.

“We have received complaints from the public and we have filed these complaints with DBKL via the E-aduan channel.

“In fact, there are a lot of complaints from us there.

“We understand the challenges, but everyone must play a part collectively to rectify what is taking place at the site,” he said.

Last year, when a similar complaint was made to DBKL, then DBKL Project Implementation and Building Department director Norzaini Noordin acknowledged that City Hall was responsible for maintaining these areas along with the community.

Norzaini reiterated that the alleys were selected for their potential in becoming creative spaces and that DBKL needed the community to take ownership of the area.

Separately, SWCorp Federal Territories director Ummi Kalthum Shuib paid a visit to the area after being notified of the issues and had promised to look into finding a solution.

“We need to identify a proper location in the area for people to dispose of their rubbish and it has to be a central spot, but not near tourist attractions,” she said, adding that she would put a rush on it.

Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news...-historic-sites

In other food waste news:


Festive period waste well managed
City councils act quickly to transport rubbish surge to landfills, preventing illegal dumping
By IMRAN HILMY
Metro News
Monday, 29 Apr 2024

AFTER all the festivities, rubbish collectors in Penang have been left with a huge task to collect domestic waste, which has increased by up to 4.5% this year.

This has been attributed to the higher consumption of food and resulting packaging material, and other domestic waste that end up in landfills during this period.

Environment and waste management expert Assoc Prof Dr Mohamad Anuar Kamaruddin said special events such as celebrations or festivals could result in a waste surge with disposable plates, decorations and excess food being major contributors.

“Additionally, during sales prior to the festivities, more promotional materials and packaging are being randomly discarded,” he said.

Penang Island City Council (MBPP) said that it collected 4,509 tonnes of waste during Hari Raya week compared to 4,314 tonnes during the same period in 2023.

MBPP mayor Datuk Anthony Rajendran said the amount was an increase of 195 tonnes or around 4.5%.

He said the waste collected before Hari Raya week was 4,666 tonnes, 0.7% more from the 4,633 tonnes gathered in the week prior to the celebration last year.

He explained that the slight increase was a common trend during festive seasons, where households tend to produce more waste.

In Seberang Perai, the city council (MBSP) said in a statement that the waste collection between March 12 and April 14 (Ramadan and Hari Raya period) was 50,828 tonnes, up 1.45% compared to the equivalent period in 2023.

Rajendran explained that both local councils had made preparations to manage waste influx by transporting large quantities to landfills, thereby preventing illegal disposals from happening.

The mayor also pointed out that Penang’s recycling rate of 51.18% surpassed the national average of 33.2% while the state’s progress in waste management had continued to rise alongside increasing waste generation.

“Penang has prioritised solid waste separation activities at source as a key strategy to promote sustainable waste management practices and alleviate pressure on the Pulau Burung sanitary landfill.

“Both the state government and local authorities have been actively involved in carrying out these initiatives,” he said.

Among Penang’s efforts to build public awareness on waste generation and management that Rajendran said had played a vital role were the Waste Segregation at Source Policy introduced in 2017, and the “No Plastic Bags Day” campaign which began in 2009.

He said the 2023 launch of the Penang Solid Waste Roadmap 2050 involving all parties was important because the public needed to participate in the shift to advanced waste treatment and disposal methods.

Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news...te-well-managed