Penang-based green group calls for crackdown on garbage pile along Perai river bunds.

Irresponsible parties have been dumping solid waste, including industrial waste, along river bunds in Southern Seberang Perai for at least a few years without action being taken against them, a non-governmental group (NGO) claimed today.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) president SM Mohamed Idris called on the authorities to immediately take action to stop these irresponsible parties.

He said the bund roads from the Changkat fishermen's jetty in Nibong Tebal through the Valdor industrial area in Sungai Bakap and up to the Batu Kawan Industrial Park were often found to have mounds of solid waste dumped by irresponsible parties.

'The dumping of domestic, construction and industrial waste in these areas, especially along the hidden bund roads, have become a trend for some parties as an easier alternative to cut waste management costs,' he said in a statement issued today.

He blamed the authorities, particularly the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) and the Department of Environment (DOE) for not taking stern action against the culprits.

'This issue arises because there were no serious actions taken to resolve this illegal dumping of waste in secluded areas,' he said.

He said SAM had issued a statement regarding this illegal dumping of waste back along bund roads in 2017 but no action was taken then.

'There were no response to our exposure of such activities, for example, the illegal dumping along the bund road of Sungai Tengah in Changkat has been going on for a long time but there were no monitoring or actions by the authorities to stop it,' he said.

He said the fishermen community and public who used the bund roads have also raised concerns on these sites being used as illegal dumping sites.

'We are concerned that if this is not stopped and the authorities do not take immediate and drastic action, other problems may arise due to the pollution from these illegal dumpsites,' he said.

He called on the authorities to go down to the ground to conduct checks, clear these illegal dumpsites and stop any further illegal dumping at these sites.