MIRI (Feb 8): Less than a day after contractors cleared a rubbish pile in Tudan, new waste has already appeared at the site.

The clean-up followed public frustration over the waste piling up at the former site of the roll on, roll-off (Roro) bins.

However, the relief was short-lived as rubbish has already begun to accumulate again the same location.

“Even though it was cleared yesterday, new rubbish has already appeared,” lamented Ariffin Jeraiee, a 63-year-old resident of Tudan Phase 6.

He believed the problem would persist until authorities implement a permanent waste management solution.

“There is a big possibility that people will keep dumping trash here because there are no proper disposal options. If nothing is done to fix the root of the problem, this issue will keep happening,” he said.

Previously, the Miri City Council (MCC) has directed residents to dispose of their waste at the nearest designated landfill site in Kuala Baram. However, many find this location too far and inconvenient.

As a result, some individuals resorted to burning waste in an attempt to manage the growing piles, raising further health and environmental concerns, while some have called for the reinstatement of Roro bins in Miri, arguing proper waste disposal facilities are essential not only for flood-affected areas but for the entire city.

Meanwhile, during a gotong-royong to clear flood-affected areas in Kampung Pujut Tanjung Batu here today, Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin emphasised the importance of proper waste management, urging residents to be mindful of where they dispose their rubbish.

“Don’t recklessly throw rubbish on the roadside, in the sewer and so on,” he said, cautioning that improper waste disposal could lead to further environmental and public health risks beyond just flooding.