Residents have the right to breathe clean air, which can be achieved with authority buy-in and eyes on the ground
I refer to the StarMetro article “Open burning plagues S’gor township” on April 21.
For residents like Grace Foo, a cancer patient who moved to Bandar Tropicana Aman, Selangor, for fresh air, life is now spent indoors with windows shut to keep plastic fumes out.
Her husband, who has early-onset dementia, is also stuck inside the home because the foul burning smell has made stepping onto their balcony a health hazard.
This is more than a nuisance – it is a public health crisis.
While Kuala Langat Municipal Council (MPKL) has issued 277 warnings and seized 25 vehicles, the problem persists.
As soon as one dumpsite is raided, another appears.
The obstacles are clear: outdated land records, high costs (RM1,800 daily for an excavator), remote sites and uncooperative landowners.
To overcome these problems, the authorities need practical, low-cost solutions followed by a pledge from the housing community to hold the authorities accountable.
First, there should be a WhatsApp bot for instant reporting.
Since residents already take photos and have global positioning system (GPS) coordinates, a simple bot could log these complaints, assign case numbers and confirm receipt quickly at almost no cost.
MPKL should also hire five to 10 local residents as part-time wardens for a community fire watch task force, with the authority to issue on-the-spot compounds.
These locals know the area and can spot new dumpsites.
Thirdly, a drone with artificial intelligence and thermal cameras could cover the entire 350ha township daily and detect fires at night, removing the excuse that sites are “hard to reach”.
To tackle construction waste, MPKL should collect a refundable deposit from contractors who are issued a building or renovation permit (for example, RM500 for a small renovation and RM5,000 for a large project).
The money is only returned if the contractors prove the waste went to a licensed facility.
If the contractor’s waste is found at an illegal dumpsite, the deposit is used to pay for cleanup.
We also need laws that hold landowners responsible for fires on their property unless they have proper fencing or closed-circuit TV cameras.
Also, MPKL must have the right to enter any land to extinguish fires, remove waste and block vehicle access, then subsequently bill the costs to the owner’s property tax.
This will turn uncooperative landowners into active guardians overnight.
Department of Environment (DOE) must also act by using Environmental Quality Act 1974 – including RM500,000 fine and jail time.
It must prosecute landowners under Sections 29A and 29B, deploy mobile air monitors to detect toxic e-waste fumes, establish a whistleblower reward fund and publish a public “culprit list” to shame offenders.
The housing community can form a formal complaint committee, document every incident with GPS and video, and use DOE’s e-Aduan portal and 24-hour hotline (1-800-88-2727).
They can invoke a 14-day response deadline and, if ignored, could escalate to the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
The residents of Bandar Tropicana Aman deserve to breathe clean air.
Phillip MR
Seremban
