There seems to be no end to illegal dumpsites in Malaysia.
Shut one down, and more mushroom elsewhere in the country. On Saturday, the Federal Territories Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) said it discovered 42 illegal dumpsites between January and December last year, of which 40 were shut down.
Lo and behold, 17 new ones appeared in the first three months of this year. This despite 176 legal landfills in the country.
The biggest culprits are commercial enterprises, with construction companies first in the illegal queue. Helping them for a fee are third-party waste pick-up services which threaten to be an industry by itself.
Malaysia needs to put a stop to this before the country is filled with illegal landfills. Here is how. Start with giving our laws the bite it needs.
The Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007’s minimum fine of RM10,000 and a maximum RM100,000 is, at best, lame and, at worst, a motivator for illegal dumping.
rue, the fines come with an option of a jail term of six months to five years. But how often have we heard of owners of construction companies or operators of waste pick-up services being jailed or fined RM100,000? According to SWCorp, since 2018 it only netted a compound of RM420,000. Call it a slap on the wrist. Remember, we are dealing with commercial enterprises bent on breaking the law for a profit. Mercy is misplaced here.
Secondly, the government needs to scale up enforcement. We are dealing with rogue companies, perhaps even syndicates. What is worse, landowners are getting into the business of illegal dumpsites by leasing their land for such purposes. Such land should be confiscated. SWCorp’s inspectors shouldn’t be fighting a lonely battle. Given the hazard the illegal dumpsites pose, we suggest a special police force be formed to police them. Lack of money is often said to stand in the way of effective enforcement. Sure, effective enforcement means manpower and technology. But if the fines are increased to RM1 million — not an unreasonable amount given the nature of the crime — over time the compound should be able to help fund the manpower and technology costs. And sending repeat offenders to jail for five years in itself will stem the sprouting of illegal dumpsites.
Finally, it is time for people to stand up against illegal dumpsites. Enforcers alone can’t police the length and breadth of the country. They need our help.
As responsible citizens, we must alert the authorities when we detect such activities. The authorities, too, must make it easy for the public to bring such activities to their attention. Like it or not, people have a fear of being exposed. To them, calling out illegal activities has its own dangers, and they must be guaranteed protection. This concern must be taken seriously. Because the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 didn’t, it didn’t work its magic in Malaysia.
Justified or not, many Malaysians are afraid to trust the authorities. Anecdotal evidence of errant enforcers disclosing the identity of complainants is a basis for the fear. In such circumstances, only the brave will report on illegal dumpsites. If the authorities need the help of the people, which they do, then they must work hard on the trust factor.
Read more at https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/leaders/2023/04/897949/nst-leader-dumping-ground
Source: NST
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