Residents irked by rubbish dumped at Gunung Keriang foothill

ALOR SETAR: 500 people who live close to Gunung Keriang near here have urged the local authority to act against unscrupulous people who throw rubbish at the foothill.
Kampung Gunung Hilir Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) chairman Abdul Halim Arifin, 60, alleged that the area had become a dump for rubbish and paddy husk over the past several months.
"Outsiders are throwing rubbish, paddy husk and wood here, and this concerns us because the area has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and also poses a danger to our children.
"The surface of the road in the area has been damaged by the heavy vehicles bringing the rubbish," he told reporters here today.
Abdul Halim said the trash could also keep away tourists who visit Gunung Keriang as it was piled up close to tourist attractions.
"The pile of rubbish is located near the Gunung Keriang Recreational Centre, Paddy Museum, National Science Centre and Keriang Hills.
"I am concerned about the negative perception foreign tourists will have when they see the uncleanliness in this tourist area," he said.
Meanwhile, State Housing and Local Government, Water Supply, Water Resources and Energy, and Human Capital Committee chairman Badrol Hisham Hashim said the Alor Setar City Council (MBAS) would have to clean up and monitor the area as it involved tourist attractions. – Bernama