Bruneians For Firm Steps To Tackle Waste Disposal Issue
By Hana Roslan

Bandar Seri Begawan - Most Bruneians feel that His Majesty's call during his 62nd birthday titah about seriously tackling the problem of waste disposal has touched one of the core issues faced by the Sultanate.

His Majesty said if the country has to progress, it must deal firmly with the problem of waste disposal management, including bio-chemicals which pose a serious threat to the society.

Majority of the Bruneians not only agree with the concern highlighted by His Majesty but also feel that strict steps must be taken to enforce the law against littering.

They said government agencies like the municipal Department must also monitor the companies which have been tasked with clearing waste and rubbish.

Some of the Bruneians expressed their anger and disappointment at the callous attitude of the fellow Bruneians.

Yap Fah Heng, an offshore safety trainer, was angry with the way some of Bruneians just throw away soft drink cans or cigarette buds.

"The problem is just rampant. People just throw rubbish like soft drink cans, plastic bags, cigarette buds out of the car without caring how it would affect the environment," said Fah Heng, who wants to pursue environmental studies

"Once an occupant of a car in front of me decided to throw his can out of the window it almost hit my windshield!" he said.

He felt it was time that Bruneians should do something drastic to curb this menace and added that there should be more cleaning campaigns and installation of cameras on the highways to catch the litterbugs and make them pay for their irresponsible act.

A senior citizen, expressing her dismay at the lack of environment awareness among Bruneians, said she always tries to reuse empty bottles and cans, highlighting the importance of recycle and reuse.

She also blamed waste management companies for the problem as sometimes their personnel take 'ages' to clear the waste.

She said the Municipal Department should monitor these companies to make sure that they are performing their duties properly.

"As a public servant I am still not aware of waste management issues. The relevant agencies must educate the public about the issue, she stressed.

A 33-year-old man, who only wants to be known as Zul, said throwing away rubbish has become a habit among many people as he has seen many throwing food out of their windows.

"I've noticed that the problem of rubbish is more at chophouse restaurants or sundry shops. If you look carefully especially at the back of the shop, you will discover heaps of rubbish. "The smell is overpowering. Shop owners and landlords should instruct their workers to dispose of waste properly and maintain hygiene and cleanliness," he said.

A 26-year-old teacher said that sometimes cleaning campaigns aren't reinforced as much as they should be. She said that primary schools seem to be more aware of littering issues than the secondary schools.

Dk Siti Basyirah, 11, said in her school everyone has a responsibility to throw rubbish in the bins.

"This habit must be inculcated among children at an early stage because if you don't, by the time they become teenagers, they remain ignorant," said Fez, a 15-year-old student, who feels strongly about the environment and is disturbed by the careless attitude of his friends.

However, a woman working in the private sector in her early 30s, said that the waste management is not a big problem in Brunei unlike some other countries. She blamed it on individual trait.

"It's really hard to change the attitude of people. Even if we have cleaning campaigns, it'll be exactly like a rubber band effect. You can only stretch so much before it goes back to its original size," she said. Fines should be imposed to curb this practice.

According to the Minor Offences Act amended last October, litterbugs found guilty of discarding material on public property will be fined up to $500 on the spot. Failure to pay will result in a $1,000 penalty for first-time offenders. Repeat offenders will be fined triple amount, including a jail term not exceeding three months. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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