Reek of fly-tipping hits Hulu Langat
ILLEGAL dumping of rubbish is a problem with no end in Selangor's Kajang municipality.
Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) president Nazli Taib said that while hotspots like Bukit Mahkota Cheras, Sungai Purun and Sungai Serai were under close surveillance by the local council, catching illegal dumpers remained a cat-and-mouse game.
Aside from these known illegal dumping sites in Kajang are pocket areas where contractors sneak in to dispose of waste.
Nazli described efforts to shut down illegal dumping grounds in Kajang as an uphill struggle.
'If we close site A, they open site B. If we close site B, they open site C,' he said.
Describing the persistent nature of the problem, he said monitoring was difficult as many dumping sites laid deep within forested areas on state or private land.
One new dumping site has been discovered along the scenic Jalan Sungai Tekali in Hulu Langat.
Lorries have been seen entering a dirt path off the main road, which leads to an illegal dump site on private land.
Jalan Sungai Tekali, a favourite spot in the Klang Valley for road cyclists and mountain biking enthusiasts, offers breathtaking views.
The road leads to Sungai Tekala Recreational Forest, a tranquil nature retreat known for its clear river waters, waterfalls and picnic spots.
However, the area's pristine beauty has been plagued by an unpleasant odour, causing concern among residents, cyclists and nature lovers.
Michael James, who lives in a nearby residential area, said the odour seemed to be coming from a plot of land along Jalan Sungai Tekali, and he had seen many lorries moving in and out of an access road.
'I use this road often for recreational purposes,' he said.
'It is a beautiful place, especially in the mornings and evenings.
'But lately, there is a bad smell.
'Besides activity on that land, there is nothing new happening in the area,' said James.
Cyclists taking part in Bukit Antu Loop 2025, a national-level road bike championship on April 19 and 20, also got a whiff of the stench during their ride.
Cyclist Dr Norhasmat Abdul Aziz said he was assailed by the bad smell and wondered where it emanated from.
'I am at Jalan Sungai Tekali almost every weekend and enjoy my ride because of the beautiful natural view.
'It is sad that there is a stench disrupting the otherwise great riding experience,' he said.
Massive land clearing
During a check, StarMetro witnessed lorries with roll-on, roll off (RoRo) bins moving in and out of the access road leading to a site barricaded with hoarding.
Obscured by trees and foliage on both sides of the road, the illegal dumpsite is not clearly visible from Jalan Sungai Tekali.
However, drone footage showed that a massive land area has been cleared for what appears to be an active fly-tipping site, with many lorries sighted on the compound.
Nazli said the local council was aware of the illegal activity at the site.
He said MPKj found ongoing illegal activities there during a check last month.
To prevent lorries from accessing the site, MPKj dug a trench at the entrance in an attempt to block the entry of vehicles.
However, this has proven futile, he said.
Nazli said Hulu Langat District and Land Office was empowered by the National Land Code to confiscate the land as it was being used as a dumpsite.
'The land office can issue rectification notices and confiscate land if landowners fail to comply.
'Taxpayers' money cannot be used to reinstate private land.
'But once the land is government-owned, MPKj can allocate funds for cleanup, with possible government assistance,' he said when met at Menara MPKj in Kajang.
Nazli said lorries were allowed to freely enter and exit land with individual titles, provided they were not trespassing and there were no complaints from landowners.
However, he said MPKj would act based on complaints received.
'Public tip-offs help, but lack of photographic evidence makes action difficult.
'One of the methods that MPKj uses to control illegal dumping sites is by stationing enforcement officers at the entrance daily to prevent lorries from entering.
'But the method is not sustainable.
'MPKj has 150 enforcement officers to oversee the whole of Kajang, a 78,000ha area with 40% green lung,' he said.
Nazli said landowners often claimed ignorance, saying that they were unaware of illegal activity on their land.
He is aware, however, that some landowners allow rubbish dumping on their land for their own reasons.
'MPKj has been actively investigating complaints.
'What the council can do is confiscate the lorries involved in illegal dumping activities.
'Lorry owners will be slapped with a maximum compound of RM1,000 under Waste Collection, Removal and Disposal By-Laws 2007.
'MPKj also charges confiscation fees of RM5,500 each and the lorries will only be released after a month,' he said.
He added that 35 lorries had been confiscated so far this year.
Nazli said MPKj was looking forward to working together with the land office to tackle illegal dumping.
Hulu Langat District and Land Office had yet to comment at press time.
Some of the illegal dumping grounds that MPKj managed to close for good include sites located in Taman Universiti, Taman Pusara Twin Palms and Bukit Ampang.
The local council sees Twin Palms as one of the greatest achievements in its battle against illegal dumping.
Economy Ministry allocated RM2mil to rehabilitate the privately owned land, which was believed to have been used as an illegal dumping ground for more than a decade.
The giant dumpsite caused great discomfort to nearby residents, especially Bukit Suria and Taman Taming Indah folk.
StarMetro reached out to the state government for comments on addressing the ongoing illegal dumping of waste in Selangor but did not receive a response at press time.
In a Bernama report on Feb 24 titled 'Hefty Fine and Jail Time Await Illegal Waste Offenders in Selangor', Selangor local government and tourism committee chairman Datuk Ng Suee Lim spoke of a dire need to strengthen waste management regulations to tackle illegal dumping.
He had said that negotiations between the state and Federal government on ratifying Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672) in Selangor were still ongoing.
'If the Act was enforced, individuals involved in illegal waste disposal in Selangor could face fines of up to RM100,000 and a minimum of five years in prison,' he was reported as saying.
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