YOURSAY | One woman’s fight against the burning of plastic wastes

YOURSAY | ‘What's happening in Jenjarom reflects the everyday injustices happening everywhere to ordinary people.’

Fighting the factories' fearsome fumes

Oriole: This is the sad reality of the basic right to breathe in Malaysia.

There are agencies paying lip service to environmental concerns while ordinary people in both rural and urban areas are fighting a losing battle against unscrupulous operators (the illegal plastic recycling factories) who probably grease enough palms to get away with it.

Policymakers who allow operators to continue do not live in the areas where these operations exist and where they affect the health of people for generations to come, resulting in deformities and cancers and such.

Newday: Great effort, Kuala Langat Environmental Action Association’s Pua Lay Peng.

You are a victim of this most toxic of modern waste. We cannot stay quiet. This is our health.

It seems like a small matter, but it’s important to highlight Malaysians’ lazy attitude of burning/melting plastics at home, by the roadside, or outside of business premises.

Time and again in my neighbourhood, I witness this open burning of plastic bottles, old computer parts, even faulty television sets.

There is no care for other neighbours on which way the wind might blow the stinky black plume and whom it will affect.

It’s not just lazy, but also selfish. In this day and age, ignorance cannot be used as an excuse regarding the toxic impact of plastic burning/melting.

Rakyat.1548745644739: “Before imported plastic waste became a national issue, the Kuala Langat Environmental Action Association had listed illegal factories operating in Jenjarom and repeatedly reported the cases to enforcement agencies and the local assemblyperson. However, there was no action taken against them.”

And there lies our problem - agencies that refuse to carry out their tasks and assemblypersons who couldn't care less of the plight of those under their care. Come the next election, let’s vote them out.

Flamescanner: Wow, this woman and her compatriots are amazing. Her effort needs to be supported by our environmental agencies and ministry. These are the kind of people we need to help.

What does the erudite environment minister have to say about that?

VisionX: Under the previous Pakatan Harapan government, minister Yeo Bee Yin was really into safeguarding the environment.

She worked very hard at it and she was closing the illegal recycling factories and she came up with proper licensing for recycling factories.

But now under this new government, the minister is more interested in other things. Now and then, he makes some announcements and that’s about it.

We need a minister who is dedicated and passionate about saving the environment and keeping the rakyat safe.

Headhunter: Yes, on this issue, the previous minister had put in much effort to clean up the environment. So far, we haven't heard a pip from her replacement.

I thought the wisest thing to do is to stop the dumping of plastic waste from other countries in Malaysia. It is an industry we can do without.

As this article has highlighted, the Department of Environment (DOE) should carry out night inspections on factories based on residents’ complaints.

Their couldn't-care-less attitude is so typical of our public agencies. They don't act until something disastrous happened and then, it's all finger-pointing and knee-jerk reactions.

HangTuahPJ: This is what happens when our public service agencies are filled with mostly 'ketuanans' who were employed not because they had the best brains.

They don’t even move their butts until something happens or everything is laid on their laps, nudging them to do something. It’s the same everywhere.

Even in my area, the residents had to do a study on hillslope soil erosion and leaky water pipes, etc, which are causing damages to many houses, and in previous cases, deaths. We have submitted our reports to the relevant authorities. Until now, nothing has happened.

In fact, for an area that was previously declared as a ‘no further new development area’ in Selangor after two disasters, there is going to be a new high rise on the slope again.

Anyway, hats off to Pua. May God bless her efforts.

BrownZebra7195: If the Selangor government made this a priority and if those factories were closer to where the VIPs live, the problem would disappear overnight.

What's happening in Jenjarom reflects the everyday injustices happening everywhere to ordinary people in this country due to greed and unregulated capitalism.

Pokokkelapa: This is sad. The authorities are not bothered, unless it happens in their neighbourhood or if some VIPs stay nearby.

Even worse, the authorities go after the media that highlight the issue. Enforcement agencies allegedly even informed the illegal operator on who made the complaints. There is no accountability. Forget about sincerity.

Why can’t every area be looked after like Putrajaya? I’m sure it can be done.

Hrrmph: I salute Pua’s fighting spirit. Our country has so much to go for, but the government chooses to take the easy way out.

If a person like Pua is able to gather evidence (of illegal plastic burning), I do not know what the authorities are doing. It is their job to do what she is doing but they are doing nothing, and it is up to the residents in the area to do something.

Gabbar Singh: The problem lies with DOE and its enforcement officers in enforcing the Environmental Quality Act (EQA). EQA is a stringent piece of legislation that empowers the enforcement officers to stop these illegal factories.

The question is, are they doing what they are tasked to do?

ConstitutionIsSupreme: Ms Pua, one suggestion, write to the Public Complaints Bureau about your report to DOE, local council, MP and assemblyperson over their no effective action.

They are more responsive. Good luck to you and your team.

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