BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

A TOTAL of $91,800 in compounds was collected for littering over the last four years by the Enforcement Unit, Municipal Department Bandar Seri Begawan, said Acting Chairman of Municipal Board, Bandar Seri Begawan yesterday.

Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Board and Brunei Muara District Office co-organised the ‘Kempen Kebersihan Ibu Kota’ (Capital Cleaning Campaign) in conjunction with the 44th anniversary of the renaming of the capital from Bandar Brunei to Bandar Seri Begawan.

The campaign is aimed at unifying the efforts and practices to ensure cleanliness in the country. However, littering by unscrupulous individuals continues to be a major problem, said Hj Mansor.

“While good hygiene is demanded, unfortunately some of us do not practice it. There are also those amongst us who will only realise and accept it if it is enforced by the law,” he said.

Littering and throwing garbage at the non-designated areas are offences under the Municipal Boards Act, Minor Offences Act and Miscellaneous Licences Act, he added.

Under Municipal Boards Act, there are plenty of offences and regulations that allow the board to fine the public for littering and allowing their place of business to accumulate trash.

A national committee was set up to oversee and coordinate efforts to improve the cleanliness of the country in line with the country’s 2035 Vision.

Acting Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Hj Halbi Hj Mohammad, who was one of the co-chairmen for the Executive Committee, as well as the other chairmen, Deputy Minister of Education, Dato Seri Setia Hj Yusoff Hj Ismail and Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Pg Dato Paduka Hj Bahrom Pg Hj Bahar.

The cleaning campaign targeted areas in the vicinity of the capital and Jalan Sultan Omar Saifuddien. The areas included stalls at Jalan Residency, Jalan Jame’ ‘Asr, Kiulap, Menglait Utara and Menglait Selatan as well as Kampung Setia A, Mukim Sungai Kebun.

A supervisor at the Municipal Department, Hj Idris Hj Damit, said that part of the job was to cut down old trees on the roadside. This was to prevent the trees from falling down that may cause car accidents or traffic congestion.

Meanwhile, Hj Idris Hj Damit, one of the supervisors at the Municipal Department said that the annual campaign was part of the government initiative to achieve a ‘green city’.

“Part of our role is to make sure that the old trees on the side road are cut down to prevent accidents to vehicle drivers,” said the 59-year-old.

A worker from the department, Md Rosman Abdullah, said “We have to make sure that the drains are free from rubbish and roadsides are clean,” said the 56-year-old. Meanwhile another worker, Hj Abas Hj Ismail, 60, hoped that the public would be more appreciative of the work that they do.

The Brunei Times