Garbage collectors on strike, refuse to collect waste

The residents of Taman Ungku Tun Aminah Flats in Skudai Johor have been forced to live with the unforgiving stench of rotting garbage which has not been collected for more than a week now due to the failure of South Waste Environmental  Management Corporation’s contractors to carry out regular garbage collections.

The residents sought help from DAP Johor State Chairman Dr Boo Cheng Hau who visited the scene yesterday after receiving complaints and compared what he saw to Zimbabwe, saying the piled garbage and dead animal carcasses here were similar to the conditions there.

According to Boo the South Waste Environmental  Management Corporation and its contractors are on strike due to the failure of the federal government to address the corporation’s demand on an increase of collection fees from the original RM 3 to RM 5 each household per month, making them deliberately reduce garbage collections once a week instead of the three times a weak stated in their contract.

He also blamed the Barisan National federal government’s privatization policy, which gives no power to local councils to appoint contractors without going through federal agencies, adding that not only was the policy a failure to begin with but has worsened in the past few years.

Boo further addressed his disappointment towards the Federal Government, blaming them for the failure to look after residents need after 52 years of independence.

He went on to blame the Johor State Government and Local Council for failing to manage solid waste disposal competently, saying he will raise the issue in the State Assembly and urges other DAP Parliamentarians to help raise the issue in Parliament.

So far 33 blocks of the Taman Ungku Tun Aminah Flats have been reported to have piles of uncollected garbage. What is more insulting to the residents compared to the terrible stench they are faced to live with is the gall of the South Waste Environmental  Management Corporation and its contractors’ demand to be valued higher than what they are clearly worth.