(From left) Chung, Wong and Tan standing in front of a CCTV camera and holding up photos of rubbish that used to blight the area near Gunung Rapat wet market in Simpang Pulai. — RONNIE CHIN/The Star
THE amount of rubbish at five illegal dumpsite hotspots in Simpang Pulai, Perak, has dropped dramatically following installation of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
Simpang Pulai assemblyman Wong Chai Yi reported that the areas were now free of piles of domestic and bulk wastes after the CCTV installation last December.
The five locations are near the Gunung Rapat wet market, Halaman Ampang Mewah, Persiaran Wira Jaya Timur 50, Jalan Desa Ampang 25 and Jalan Harilela A1.
“We would usually receive many complaints about rubbish being discarded along roads and in drains at these locations.
“But after the cameras were installed, I would say the amount of rubbish has reduced by more than 90%,” she said during a site visit near the Gunung Rapat wet market in Ipoh.
“Previously, there would be piles of rubbish, but now there are just a few spots here and there,” she added.
Wong said the five CCTV cameras costing about RM50,000 had artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.
“The videos can be zoomed in, allowing us to look at the vehicle licence plates to catch litterbugs red-handed, rain or shine.
“The councillor in charge of Gunung Rapat, Chris Chung, and my service centre can also view the areas in real time on our mobile phones,” said Wong.
“The video can be downloaded, with time and date details, and sent to the authorities for action.
“A week after the cameras were installed, Ipoh City Council (MBI) issued compounds worth RM1,000 each to five people,” she added.
Wong said there had been requests from her constituents to set up more CCTV cameras in other areas.
“If the cameras continue to be effective, we will expand them to other areas within the Gopeng parliamentary constituency,” she said.
Gopeng MP Tan Kar Hing, who was also present, said the cameras were meant to educate people on proper waste disposal.
He noted that the existing waste management system used by the city council was sufficient, and the community needed to cooperate by not dumping rubbish indiscriminately.
