Semporna is a dirty town.
The filth and stench catch the attention of any visitor to this Sabah east coast district, which is home to the world-renowned diving paradise of Pulau Sipadan.
For the locals, it is probably a way of life, but for tourists, the unkempt town can be repulsive.
Every now and then, these tourists, who speak highly of the beautiful underworld experience in the waters off Semporna, leave a note of their disdain for the filth they come across in the town, which also acts as the gateway to diving spots and resorts.
Last week, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing warned that he might be forced to issue a red notice against travel to Semporna following a food poisoning complaint by a tourist at a resort.
The discussion inevitably shifted to the cleanliness of Semporna town.
It appears that the local district office, along with the residents, is seen as unconcerned about the significant criticism and has made it a low priority.
Tiong’s warning had, however, shaken the powers that be in Sabah, with state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew saying that they had taken the warning seriously and that prompt action would be taken to tackle the issue.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Liew said, has also stepped in to instruct the relevant authorities – the Semporna district council – to take the necessary measures to correct the problem of public cleanliness and health safety.
Tiong’s threat is being taken seriously by Semporna’s tourism players, as the diving industry is a golden goose that generates over RM300mil a year.
But many fear that it could also be a knee-jerk reaction that could revert to the “tidak apa” (unbothered) attitude of both the district managers and the people.
After similar complaints by both foreign and international tourists in 2018 about the stench and filth in Semporna town, the district set out on a determined effort to clean up its mess.
The plan by the then Semporna district officer, Bianus Kontong, was to clean up the district and turn the bustling tourism and fisheries district into one of the cleanest by March 2019.
With the help of a local NGO – Trash Hero Borneo – they cleaned up areas around the main town, with then chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who is Semporna MP and Senallang assemblyman, personally pushing the campaign.
The game plan was successful, though controversial, especially with litterbugs being ordered to take part in the clean-up of the town and villages.
Public awareness programmes were held in all 60 villages on the mainland and 40 villages on the islands.
But, admittedly, the local administrators faced their toughest challenge in persuading the locals to cooperate.
“They are so used to throwing rubbish so we need to inculcate a mindset change,” said Bianus, who spearheaded the clean-up that saw some degree of success at that time.
But changing district officers and priorities in the subsequent new political landscape saw the east coast town slip back to its dirty old ways of life.
“People don’t care and throw things as they please. There is no fear of being caught,” said a local resident, who wanted to only be identified as Rizwan, referring to the issue of rubbish.
Tackling Semporna’s litter woes is not easy.
Not only does the authority have to change the mindset of the locals, but it also needs to tackle the large transient population of people slipping into the east coast district from the neighbouring Tawi Tawi chain of islands in the Philippines.
Various local NGOs have been working with islanders on waste disposal and environmental conservation efforts over the years, but the mindset of the people seems to have changed little.
Tough enforcement – to the point of shaming them – and awareness campaigns have failed to see any significant change in the mindset of the people, who, as one resident said, treat the sea and the land as their garbage bins.
Following Tiong’s warning, some 200 volunteers gathered for a gotong royong organised by Shafie’s Parti Warisan over the weekend.
“We are doing our part to keep Semporna clean, especially after the ministry’s warning,” Warisan’s Soh Swee Tian said.
“Our district is a focal point for international tourists and there is no doubt that it must always be clean in terms of both environment and food hygiene,” he added.
Restaurant operator Hajar Mansur said it was important for all food handlers to ensure a high level of hygiene as issues of food poisoning were not good for their business.
“I always make sure our restaurant is clean, whether the dining room, the kitchen or the toilet,” he said, adding that employees must prioritise cleanliness.
Tourism players in the district are hoping that the cleanliness and hygiene practices of food handlers will become a way of life for the people of Semporna.
“They just can’t take it lightly,” said Semporna Bumiputera Tourism chairman Kerino Jalani.
“Tourist industry players need to jointly take care of their quality and services, especially food operators, so as not to cause harm to tourists.
“The community also needs to take on the role of keeping our town and beaches clean,” he said.
Time will tell if Semporna and its people will shed their “litterbug” image and turn their stunning east coast town into a true paradise.
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