Outdated land records, high cost hamper enforcement by local authority in Kuala Langat
WHEN Grace Foo was diagnosed with cervical cancer six years ago, her immediate priority was finding a new place to live.
Having resided near an industrial area in Klang, she was concerned the poor air quality there could worsen her health.
That drove Foo and her husband, who is now suffering from the onset of early dementia, to move to a residential estate in Telok Panglima Garang in Kuala Langat, Selangor, where there was plenty of greenery around.
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But the peace and tranquility she found when she first moved in early 2021, did not last.
In 2023, the environment in the area began to deteriorate due to daily open burning at several dumpsites scattered across the locality.
“At least three fires break out every day in this area and this is happening round the clock,” said Foo, who lives in a high-rise in Bandar Tropicana Aman which is a township of approximately 350ha.
“The smoke smells like burned plastic and I suspect some of the fumes may even be from e-waste,” she said.
Foo has been forced to close her windows at all times due to smoke and odour from the dumpsites.
“My husband and I used to be able to step onto our balcony for some fresh air, but we cannot do that anymore nowadays without the acrid smell choking up our lungs,” she added.
The impact has rippled across daily life in the township.
Molly Gan, who holds qigong sessions for locals every morning, said she had occasionally cancelled lessons due to poor air quality.
Having moved in since January last year, Gan said she had been using an app to check the Air Pollution Index (API) in the area.
“Proper breathing is crucial for qigong and I need the API reading to be 65 or lower before considering holding a session.
“However, air quality is so poor I am worried that having an outdoor activity may pose risks to health,” she said.
Another resident, Maggie Yew said the odour had become so bad that she was reluctant to hang clothes outside her home.
“When I went to pick up my children from daycare recently, they asked why I smelled like smoke!” she said.
Aerial drone surveys by residents found several dumpsites operating in the vicinity, sending black plumes and occasional flames up into the air.
It is unclear who are the owners of the land where these sites are located.
Last month, a fire at a vacant site next to the Tropicana Aman Dalia Residences (TADR), which is part of Bandar Tropicana Aman), took nearly a week to be put out, according to locals interviewed.
Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) personnel were at the site every day between 10am and 6pm to douse the flames and prevent reignition, they said.
The residents said an abandoned workers quarters at the site was destroyed in the incident.
Checks by StarMetro found the site strewn with domestic refuse, in addition to what appeared to be construction waste.
Mounting concerns
Locals say they have been making complaints to the state government, the Environment Department (DOE) and Kuala Langat Municipal Council (MPKL), yet the problem has become worse.
A resident, who declined to be named, said MPKL personnel had, in response to complaints, carried out inspections and issued compounds to culprits.
“But whenever one dumpsite is raided, another emerges, and we have to start the process all over again,” he said.
“This brazen disregard for laws and regulations is making residents feel unsafe,” he said.
The homeowner, who had been documenting incidents in the area, said he also supplied the authorities with photos and videos.
“I have also given them coordinates of the sites, but they were sometimes unable to locate them,” he added.
Nadiya Adnan, a representative from TADR management office, said the DOE and MPKL had placed signage at hotspots
to warn would-be offenders against illegal dumping and open burning.
Nadiya said she was also fearful after a fire next to the neighbourhood last month generated heat so intense it caused some decorative plants in the area to wilt.
Another homeowner, Patrick Wong said some officials blamed dry weather and peat soil in the area – known for being highly flammable – as causes for the increase in burning incidents.
“But I don’t buy it, because the burning has also been happening at night.
“And even if nature is to blame, the authorities should come up with a proactive solution,” he said.
Kuala Langat Zone 3 councillor Abu Bakar Mohamad, when contacted by StarMetro, said he recently met with residents to discuss their concerns.
He said a session would be held soon involving all relevant MPKL departments to investigate their claims.
“In the meantime, I will pass on information from residents to the local authority,” he added.
Persistent pollution
Calls for improved response to illegal dumpsites and open burning in Kuala Langat, where Telok Panglima Garang is situated, are not new.
At MPKL’s full board meeting in August last year, councillor Ang Eu Liang urged the local council to hold a joint press conference with other authorities to disclose measures taken to address the issue.
MPKL president Mohd Hasry Nor Mohd said the council relied on public feedback to track down culprits and locate illegal dumping sites.
“Many such sites are located in rural and hard-to-reach areas, which makes it hard for us to detect them.
“This is why we rely on local communities and councillors to keep the authorities informed,” he said.
While MPKL has been working with the land and district office to locate the landowners of sites used for illegal dumping and the fire department to put out fires, Mohd Hasry said these operations were expensive.
He said the local council provided support in the form of manpower and excavators, which cost RM1,800 a day to operate.
“An operation to deal with open burning may take up to five days, which adds more cost for MPKL,” he said.
Data gaps
While acknowledging the problem with open burning around Bandar Tropicana Aman, MPKL in a separate statement to StarMetro disputed claims the fire were from illegal dumpsites.
“Monitoring by MPKL’s Enforcement Department found the fires involved overgrown shrub land and were not caused by illegal waste disposal activities.
“However, the actual cause or intent behind the burning could not be determined.”
MPKL stated that open burning was prohibited under existing by-laws.
Separately, MPKL said it issued 277 warnings and 226 notices related to open burning and illegal dumping in the municipality between 2024 and June 2026, and seized 25 vehicles believed to be involved.
“In addition to compounds, MPKL also ordered the owners involved to clean up their sites after these operations.”
Elaborating, MPKL said it worked with the land and district office, as well as police, to identify illegal dumpsites and the landowners.
The local council, however, admitted that it was held back in dealing with these
problems due to incomplete and outdated information on land ownership.
“There have also been landowners who refused to cooperate, giving various reasons such as bad weather conditions and people trespassing into their properties,” added MPKL.
Those with information on illegal dumping may contact MPKL at 012-300 4130 or via mpkl.spab.gov.my
At press time, DOE had yet to respond to requests for comments.
