Filthy roads, clogged drains make Penang an eyesore

 

Residents of George Town are unhappy at the increasingly unkempt condition of their city. (Beatrice pic)

From Beatrice

It is generally accepted that Penangites, of all Malaysians, tend to be openly proud about their home state.

In all fairness, what is there not to be proud of? The Pearl of the Orient has quite the old-world charm to it, with a long, colourful history.

Not only is its capital of George Town a popular tourist destination among Malaysians and foreigners, it is also a foodie haven, with famous hawker stalls around every street corner.

Hence, George Town being named a Unesco Heritage Site back in 2008 was the cherry on the cake for most of us.

But as the pandemic has crippled the tourism industry, George Town has become devoid of foreign tourists and things have seemingly taken a dip in recent months.

While George Town has always had some issues with cleanliness, the problem has become increasingly difficult to ignore.

Drains along public roads are clogged with rubbish, with stagnating water releasing fumes that could make one sick.

Rubbish litters walkways and roads alike, with existing rubbish bins being used as public ornaments rather than for their intended purpose.

Drains along the main roads are often clogged with all manner of filth, providing potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes. (Beatrice pic)

Locals can only watch in dismay at the deteriorating situation, and wonder if anything can be done to keep the Pearl of the Orient from degenerating into a Black Pearl instead.

After recently returning to Penang from abroad, I can say that going into 2021, the situation in George Town has worsened.

Being born and raised on Penang Island, I am dismayed that the Penang I once knew is in danger of becoming swamped by garbage.

It’s really embarrassing. George Town is the crown jewel of Penang and there’s litter everywhere. The drain water is fermenting. It’s bubbling. It’s foaming.

Plastic bags appear to be decorating the streets in a ghastly fashion, as are discarded food containers.

Bird droppings are a common sight along the walkways of once beautiful heritage homes. (Beatrice pic)

More alarmingly, the famous heritage homes of the historical city seem to have attracted too many birds, who leave their droppings everywhere.

And as is tradition in Malaysia, piles of trash are left right under huge signs that warn against illegal dumping, possibly by folks with a nasty sense of humour.

Admittedly, the trash problem is likely caused by fellow Penangites who lack civic consciousness but the situation has become so bad that it needs to be brought up to the attention of the authorities now.

Given that George Town has previously been subjected to successful beautification projects, cleanliness should not be an issue at all. Yet it is.

Penang has always been notorious for being filthy even before it became a tourist destination. But the situation improved in 2008. It was still dirty but it wasn’t an eyesore. But it certainly is now.

A cigarette box lies discarded in a drain, flung there by a person lacking civic consciousness. (Beatrice pic)

Given that Penang is also a medical tourism hub as well as the home of a large expatriate community, the filth is hardly welcoming.

Locals have been raising the issue on social media, but most Penangites have grown “jaded” and do not expect any meaningful change anytime soon.

Are the local cleaning crews not coming out due to the Covid-19 lockdowns?

The city council of George Town has to do a better job, especially if the federal government is looking to allow inter-state travel.

At the same time, the local populace has to clean up their act if they want to present the world with a better Penang, and a better George Town.

Many locals are calling upon the local council to help maintain the cleanliness of the city before welcoming back tourists. (Beatrice pic)

NGOs in the state must step up to inspire the locals into taking better care of their immediate surroundings.

It has to be a top-down approach. Whatever we do right now will prepare us for when state borders open again.

Having visited Ipoh and Melaka prior to the lockdown, I can say in all honesty that these two cities have done a better job in staying presentable.

Melaka is like George Town, both being Unesco World Heritage sites, but Melaka’s upkeep is commendable. And that’s embarrassing to me as a proud Penangite.

While it’s unrealistic to expect George Town to ever be completely free of litter, I hope something can be done to maintain the city’s image while preserving its soul. - FMT

Beatrice is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.