Contingency measures in place to deal with hitches during contract expiry, renewal transitory period
PETALING JAYA: Local councillors in Selangor have attributed recurring litter and uncollected waste complaints to contractor turnover and uncertainty surrounding the expiry of the state’s centralised waste management contracts.
The revelation follows remarks by Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah on widespread public grievances over cleanliness in urban areas throughout the state.
Subang Jaya municipal councillor Kamarul Hisham Yeop Hashim, who represents Zon 4 (Taman Perumahan TP 1-2, Taman Perindustrian UEP (TP 3-6), Taman Perindustrian USJ 1 and USJ 1-6), said waste-related complaints in his area are received daily, amounting to hundreds this year.
“This situation has become more serious because the current contract is nearing its end. It has been in place for seven years.
“Before this, waste management was handled directly by local councils, which appointed and managed their own contractors.
“The contract between the contractor and all local councils will expire at the end of this year. It was signed in 2018, and it is now approaching expiry, so we are in the process of preparing a new contract,” Kamarul told theSun via phone yesterday.
He also expressed concern about instability among contractors.
“Some contractors may already know their contracts will not be renewed, or that they are underperforming. As a result, they stop performing. We have seen cases in which they simply disappear overnight,” he said.
Kamarul said the Subang Jaya City Council has discussed the issue with the contractor and activated contingency measures, including deploying backup lorries sourced from other contractors to prevent waste from being left uncollected, although this involved additional costs.
He rejected suggestions that the problem was caused by shortage of lorries or bins, saying fleet size and inventory were calculated based on household numbers and area size during the contract awarding process.
“Complaints come in every day, especially in my zone. Waste issues are discussed during monthly health committee meetings, and top management (from the contractor firm) is involved when matters are urgent,” he said.
Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya municipal councillor Suriase Gengiah, who represents Zone 1 covering PJU 8 (Damansara Perdana), PJU 9 (Bandar Sri Damansara) and PJU 10 (Damansara Damai), said complaints in his area were comparatively limited, estimated at about three cases this year.
He said lapses were mainly linked to contractor changes, particularly during the early transition period.
“When new contractors come in, they may not be familiar with entry and exit routes, so some locations were missed initially.
“Usually in the first one or two months, there may be issues. After that, once they are familiar with the area, there are no further problems.
“At apartment areas, garbage trucks are sometimes blocked. The lorry access is blocked and vehicles are parked improperly. So, sometimes the trucks cannot enter,” Suriase said when contacted.
He said complaints were acted on promptly once received, with the Petaling Jaya City Council also having backup contractors on standby.
In a recent interview with Bernama, Sultan Sharafuddin said he had received numerous complaints from residents across Klang, Petaling Jaya, Ampang and Subang, many accompanied by photographs.
The Sultan stressed the need for accountability, measurable cleanliness standards and a review of waste management contracts, warning that clogged drains were among the causes of persistent flooding and property damage.
