A team from MBI fixing the portable solar CCTV. The cameras cost RM500 each and are set up at hotspots for a three-month period.
LITTERBUGS beware – Ipoh City Council (MBI) has been using portable solar CCTV cameras to be its additional “eyes and ears” to catch those throwing rubbish at illegal dumpsites.
The city council’s Engineering Department senior chief assistant director Arif Mohd Zainudin said MBI had purchased two sets of the cameras at the end of 2019.
He said the cameras were fixed at specific locations for a period of time, according to recommendations by the anti-litter unit.
“Usually the cameras, which are not visible to the public, are placed at a location for about three months.
“So far, seven locations have been fitted with the cameras since 2019 on a rotation basis, where the video footage has allowed us to nab culprits, ” he said when contacted after a live Facebook show called “MBI dan Anda” on March 4.
The session on waste management was hosted by the city council’s senior director Musa Dun.
Arif added that the cameras were mainly installed at sites where construction waste was discarded.
He said the camera was first installed in Meru near the now-closed Movie Animation Park Studios which was a hotspot for lorries discarding construction waste.
“When compounds were issued to the culprits, they realised that the place was being monitored and they stopped littering.
“We have also placed cameras in several market areas which are also hotspots for people to throw rubbish, ” he added.
Arif said one set cost RM500, and it ran on solar power in the daytime, with a battery back-up for night.
“This method of being ‘watched’ has created awareness among people who discard rubbish anywhere.
“I hope this additional step will deter people from littering and creating unwanted illegal dumpsites, ” he said.
