KOTA KINABALU: Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) has kicked-off a campaign to clean up polluted areas of Gaya island.
The initiative was launched after photos of Kampung Lok Urai on the island surrounded by trash went viral recently, said mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai.
The photos had been taken by a group of teachers and students who were hiking on the island and stumbled upon the polluted landscape while passing the village.
“Besides (installing) netting at the village, we are building a recycling centre which is expected to be completed this month.
“We have also started a DBKK learning centre, in collaboration with Tzu Chi. Since June (we have been teaching) 48 students on… (civic) awareness, especially with regard to the environment,” he said.
On the rubbish at Kampung Lok Urai, Yeo said it did not originate from a single source, as much of it could have washed up from other places, including the Petagas river.
“Give us two or three more months to see the changes. I believe it is doable, as it has been done at Pulau Ketam in Selangor,” he added.
Meanwhile, at Telipok town near here, a gotong-royong clean-up programme has been organised to bring awareness to the public and F&B outlet owners to maintain the cleanliness of their premises and environments to prevent diseases such as dengue and cholera.
“There are sporadic cases of dengue, but (we are) not at outbreak level. However, water-borne cholera outbreaks have been reported recently.
“This gotong-royong effort will be an ongoing programme at all places, from time to time,” Yeo added.
Also present at the gotong-royong were Inanam assemblyman Kenny Chua, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Ramli Din, Kota Kinabalu police chief Assistant Commissioner M. Chandra and Kota Kinabalu health officer Dr Jiloris Dony.