SIBU, May 26: The Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) is considering reducing the frequency of domestic waste collection from three to two times a week.
The move, according to chairman Clarence Ting, was to discourage residents from producing more waste.
“It (reducing waste collection) is very simple. We are trying to discourage you from throwing away rubbish and in a way also telling you, don’t buy so many things. Don’t create so much waste. This is our message to you (the public),” he said when receiving guests from the University of Technology Sarawak’s (UTS) student council at his office today.
Ting said this as the public sanitary landfill in Kemuyang has almost reached its limit due to the excessive amount of waste generated by the people.
He hoped a collaborative effort between SMC and UTS could be established to look into the mounting pressure put on the landfills.
Following his recent visit to Singapore for the World City Summit, Ting said that discussions on climate change, sustainability, and carbon reduction were prominent, hence, he emphasised the importance of raising awareness and shaping government policies on environmental matters.
“I hope UTS can take a more active role in collaborating with SMC by organising seminars and inviting experts to discuss sustainable practices, waste management, and environmental conservation,” he said.
Ting emphasised that this responsibility lies not only with the university but with the entire community, as the efforts made today are crucial for the well-being of future generations.
“This topic must be university driven and I felt that UTS has not been doing much about this as well. I don’t mean doing it in the university. I mean doing it as a public thing. I would like UTS to be more active to work with SMC on this matter. We are doing it for the future generations,” he said.
Ting believed that the university should serve as a beacon for change and urged students to become advocates for a greener future. — DayakDaily
