LANGKAWI: The state government kicks of its initiative to make Langkawi the world's cleanest island by engaging all stakeholders, including government agencies, the private sector and non-governmental organisations.
State Housing, Local Government and Health Committee chairman Major (R) Mansor Zakaria said all the stakeholders had expressed their commitment to achieve the target.
"Just two weeks after we mooted the idea, the Langkawi Tourism City Municipal Council organised this Clean, Beautiful and Cheerful Seminar today.
"Thus, the idea (making Langkawi the world's cleanest island) is not mere rhetoric or a pipe dream," he said after opening the seminar at a hotel in Kuah here.
Present was council president Tunku Iskandar Shah Tunku Muszaffar Shah.
Mansor the council had formed 11 sub-committees, each chaired by a councillor, to plan and monitor cleanliness programmes.
"We should learn on how Sungai Melaka was transformed from a dirty and filthy river into a wonderful tourist attraction through sheer determination.
"All cleanliness programmes on this island will be improved and we are rebranding the island as the world's cleanest island in conjunction with Visit Kedah Year 2025," he said.
He added that the council and the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) are working together to collect some 100 tonnes of solid waste on the island daily.
On March 23, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Noor said he wanted Langkawi to be the cleanest island in the world to attract tourists.
Sanusi said the campaign was crucial to make Visit Kedah Year 2025 a success in reviving the tourism sector from the devastating economic impact of Covid-19 pandemic.