Zuraida: We should be clean people like Rwandans

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians need to change their mentality to littering, as even Rwandans surpass us in our attitude, says Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.

She stated that we need to emulate the clean culture in Rwanda, and remind one another to keep clean and not to litter wantonly.

Zuraida said that the government is committed to ensure that affordable housing policies include educating masses on saying no to plastic bags, which is a sizable composition of solid waste in Malaysia.

"Plastics make up 13.2 percent of all waste generated in 2017 in Malaysia, and 29.2 percent has to do with plastic bags. It takes hundreds of years for a plastic bag to decompose," said Zuraida.

She was speaking at the soft-launch of a national campaign to say 'No to plastic bags' in conjunction with the UN World Habitat Day on Saturday (Oct 13) at the PPR Beringin here.

"The public will be educated on how to reduce plastic bags and use more recylable bags. We have a two-year period - an engagement programme - to educate the public before enforcement. We are focusing on PPR flats," said Zuraida.

The PPR Beringin is also the first to have a vending machine which pays in money and kind for recyclable plastic bottles deposited.

Zuraida stated that the priority for affordable housing policy focuses on those from the lower and middle-lower income groups B40 and M40 groups to ensure that all Malaysians can afford a home.

"There will be better access to the various housing funds. We want to constantly engage with the B40 lower income group so that there will be a spirit of cooperation and they can manage their own properties and take care of the cleanliness around them.

"We hope to raise their awareness so that they will be informed of the government policies on cleanliness," said Zuraida.

Zuraida also said the main issue in PPR flats is that of poor maintenance of the lifts.

"If they can understand how to use the lifts properly, that itself can reduce vandalism of the lifts. As for the financial collection of the management bodies, we are going to coach them on preparing a sinking fund to be used when problems arise," said Zuraida.