PETALING JAYA: The Petaling Jaya City Council held a gotong-royong yesterday at the Medan 32 Flats in Taman Medan Baru here to clean up and destroy dengue breeding areas.
Mayor Mohamad Zahri Samingon who led the clean-up operations said it was conducted together with Uni-charm Mamypoko pants and was in conjunction with Asean Dengue Day and the 18th anniversary of the city council.
“Between June 9 and 15, 134 dengue cases were identified in Taman Medan Baru, which is a reduction from the 141 cases identified the previous week, which is a 5% drop. Cumulatively, 3,838 cases have been identified in Petaling Jaya to date.”
Mohamad Zahri said 73 dengue locations and 15 hotspots were identified in Petaling Jaya so far this year. In 2021, 1,458 cases were recorded compared with 2023, when 5,641 cases were identified – an increase of 286%.
“Of the 32 hotspots identified at the Medan 32 Flats, 22 cases were found within just 55 days. We are hopeful that the outbreak would end today.”
Mohamad Zahri said dengue is a serious viral infection, which could end in death, and the rising number of cases is cause for concern.
Hence, he said the city council partnered with Uni-charm to organise this gotong-royong, which is also held in conjunction with Dengue Awareness Month 2024 that fell on June 15.
“We will continue to conduct dengue awareness talks so the public, especially children, will be careful and not play in the vicinity of rubbish or places where there is stagnant water as they could be breeding grounds for the Aedes mosquito.
The public is also encouraged to take 10 minutes a week to carry out clean-up activities to destroy any Aedes breeding areas around their houses as this will protect them and their families.”
Mohamad Zahri also commended the gotong-royong participants for their efforts and dedication to public health and in raising awareness and curbing the rising number of dengue cases through the initiative.
Uni-Charm Corporation (Malaysia & Singapore) group managing director Toru Fujita who was present together with 57 company employees said the gotong-royong is part of the brand’s ongoing CSR activity, #MamyPokoAgainstDengue campaign.
“We rolled out the campaign last year alongside the launch of our MamyPoko ANTIMOS Pants Diaper in Malaysia and due to its success, we decided to continue with it every year. Also, our office is located in Petaling Jaya so carrying out the gotong-royong in the district hits home and is very meaningful for us.”
Taro said the launch of the ANTIMOS Pants was prompted by the escalating dengue cases in Malaysia.
“The diaper pants were invented and developed by Uni-charm R&D Japan to provide Malaysian parents with an effective, safe and convenient way to protect their babies from mosquito bites.”
Earlier, Taro, Mohamad Zahri and 20 volunteers from the city council and district health office participated in an energetic Japanese Taiso exercise led by Uni-Charm Malaysia employees.
After the session, they immediately rolled up their sleeves and proceeded to clean up and destroy larvae breeding areas in and around the flat.
Residents of Medan 32 Flats and Taman Medan Baru were also invited to attend anti-dengue talks by Petaling district health officials.
The ANTIMOS Pants were also distributed to residents in dengue hotspots to protect their babies and help repel mosquitoes from biting them.
