KUALA LANGAT: At the mention of Jenjarom here, on top of one’s mind would be vast oil palm plantations and the popular Dong Zen Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple.
However, in the past one year, the situation has not been positive for the town in Kuala Langat district, which is home to some 30,000 residents.
The peace and serenity of the township had been marred by the mushrooming of illegal plastic recycling factories.
Its skyline and crisp air was polluted by fumes and the stench from illegal factories that processed an estimated 17,000 tonnes of dirty plastic shipped here instead of China, which has banned the materials.
The health of Jenjarom residents, a sleepy new village whose dwellers are mostly Hokkien, had deteriorated.
Local resident Daniel Tay said at first, he thought nothing of it.
But in February last year, he woke up at 2am, choking on the pungent smell of burning plastic that enveloped his house in Kampung Sungai Jarom.
The 64-year-old, who was born and raised in Jenjarom, said: “All my family members woke up choking and we could not sleep. We had difficulty breathing and could not open the windows as it only made the situation worse.
“We were very angry. My friends said they, too, were having sleepless nights, with their babies crying the whole time.
“I noticed the smell earlier, but it was not strong. In February, it grew stronger. Later, I found out that at the end of 2017, China had banned the import of plastic waste, and tonnes of jumbo bags containing the materials were diverted to Malaysia.
“We also discovered that the operators here are from China, and they had collaborated with their Malaysian counterparts to set up the illegal factories in oil palm plantations.
“By February, more illegal operators began to move in,” Tay told the New Straits Times.
He said he had to do something to end the pollution.
Along with other residents, they formed the Kuala Langat Environmental Action Association, which was registered in July last year. Tay is the adviser.
“I told myself this is my hometown. I cannot leave Jenjarom just because I am unhappy with the pollution and illegal factories. They have to leave instead.”
Today, Tay said the locals had “regained” their township.
“The air is cleaner and the sky is clearer. My neighbours tell me that they can breathe normally and there are no more health problems. Jenjarom has been given a new lease of life.”
Tay urged the government to ban the import of plastic waste.
“The government may benefit in terms of taxes, but that is at the expense of our health and it is not worth it.”
Lorry spare parts business owner Lim Kok Seng, whose premises is adjacent to what used to be an illegal plastic recycling factory, said he had no choice but to work from his car whenever fumes were discharged.
“I experienced headaches and fainting spells whenever the fumes filled the air.
“I assisted the association by taking photographs and videos from my office. I am glad the illegal factory has been shut down,” said the 45-year-old.
Lawyer C.K Lee, who lives in nearby Banting, feels that he needed to be part of the association as Jenjarom is his father’s hometown.
“When I first joined in the middle of last year, we faced tremendous obstacles because the authorities were not on our side.
“Even the local community and organisations were sceptical about our effort.
“Also, we did not want to offend the towkay. Many of them are ‘Datuk’ and ‘Datuk Seri’, and some are my clients. But I don’t mind losing them for a good cause.”