The Clean Thaipusam NGO has expanded its festival cleanliness drive to six states, focusing on waste management and recycling with 600 volunteers.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Clean Thaipusam NGO has expanded its festival cleanliness and sustainability campaign to six states, involving about 600 volunteers.
Founder JK Wicky said the campaign, which began in 2019 with around 20 volunteers, has grown significantly with public, temple, and corporate CSR support.
“Thaipusam is not only a festival for the Indian community but is also attended by devotees and visitors of various races,” he told Bernama.
He stated that maintaining cleanliness and responsible waste disposal should be a shared cultural value.
This year’s operations on February 1 will cover Selangor, including Batu Caves, Penang, Sungai Petani, Ipoh, Merlimau, and Masai.
The focus will be on waste management, recyclable separation, and temporary bin placement in key areas.
The recycling initiative now emphasises plastic bottle separation, while a fruit bank collects excess offerings for redistribution.
Last year, about 320 kg of plastic waste was successfully collected and recycled, though overall festival garbage remained high.
Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam Temple trustee Datuk N. Sivakumar highlighted an urgent need for public awareness.
He noted that around three tonnes of footwear are discarded annually at the Thaipusam festival site.
“We urge devotees and visitors not to leave slippers or personal belongings lying around,” he said.
He advised using provided facilities or disposing of items properly.
Public members interested in volunteering can register online at the provided link.
