KOTA BARU, MALAYSIA: Are the people of Kelantan litterbugs?

Two years ago, Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat chastised them for not disposing of rubbish properly.

His views were reinforced yesterday by outgoing Kelantan Irrigation and Drainage Department director Datuk Lim Chow Hock, who took them to task for treating public places like "rubbish bins".

He said people in the state did not understand the principle behind proper rubbish disposal.

"During our river cleanliness campaign, we found that most of the 20 rivers in the state were dirty. This was because locals threw rubbish along roadsides, which were eventually washed into rivers.

"They have been warned but still ignore us. They are unaware of the need for cleanliness. I agree with Datuk Nik Aziz's statement that the people of Kelantan don't dispose of rubbish properly," he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

Lim said the department's annual Cintai Sungai Kita (Love our river) and the state government's Jumpa Sampah, Kutip (See garbage, pick it up) campaigns had been ineffective.

"The department spends about RM200,000 a year on the campaign. If locals refuse to co-operate with us, we can use the money for other things, such as repairing infrastructure like bridges and drains."

Lim said besides Kota Baru, others places listed as dirty were Pasir Mas and Tanah Merah.

The dirtiest rivers were Sungai Pengkalan Chepa and Sungai Alur Lintah, both in the Kota Baru district.

Two months before a typhoid outbreak hit the state in July 2006, Nik Aziz had chastised the people for being litterbugs.

Not mincing his words, he described their habit of littering and the general shabbiness of the state as a "culture" that needed to be erased.

The state government launched the Jumpa Sampah, Kutip campaign to create public awareness.

A spokesman for the state government admitted that the campaign had failed to inculcate the habit of proper garbage disposal among the people.

"People seem to ignore this and place all the responsibility on local authorities to do the job," he said.