PADANG BESAR: Motivated by an appreciation for natural splendour and a desire to see the area surrounding the Bukit Jernih Recreational Park remain pristine, a group of volunteers has taken the initiative to take turns cleaning the tourism spot.
Persatuan Reakrasi Bukit Jernih (PRBJ) president Azmi Ariffin said he and several association members began the initiative in 2018 by clearing trash left by irresponsible visitors to the geo-site.
"Disposable diapers, food containers, plastic cups and bottles are common items left behind by visitors," he told Bernama recently.
Azmi, 63, fondly known as Abang Mei, said letting trash pile up for more than a day would lead to an unpleasant odour and attract unwanted visitors like monkeys and sloths.
"I am worried that if the area is often littered with garbage, no visitors will bother to come. Why would anyone want to go to a dirty and polluted place?
"Who else will do this volunteer work if not us? Although there are contractors appointed to clean the area, they cannot do it all by themselves, which is a shared responsibility," he said.
Abang Mei said he was glad to see many people visiting Bukit Jernih and hoped it would continue to be a popular location for domestic and international tourists.
Apart from voluntary work, he said that PRBJ conducted a cleanliness campaign in which they encouraged visitors to take their trash with them when they left or throw it into the bins provided.
"Alhamduillah, visitors' awareness of environmental care is increasing, we used to collect 20 to 30 disposable diapers a day on public holidays in the past, but the number has decreased recently," said Azmi, adding that PRBJ members also took turns guarding the Bukit Jernih camping site at night.–BERNAMA