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The group of volunteers under “Sampah Masyarakat” got together on Monday, the day after Thaipusam to help clean up the area. The initiative mooted by Shyam via email and Facebook saw abotu 30 volunteers sacrificing their holiday. Unfortunately, I was unable to join in on that day 🙁
Fellow blogger, Puvanan was caught on camera doing his bit. I think few other MindsBlog members also took part:
No easy task: N.Puvanan, 24, (left) and Khairunisa filling up bags with rubbish.
THE Thaipusam celebration at the Batu Caves Temple in Selayang drew a big crowd and as such rubbish was found strewn about. To help clear this, a group of volunteers clad in white T-shirts took charge.
The group of volunteers, who call themselves Sampah Masyarakat, came armed with brooms, shovels and plastic bags and were kept busy from 7am on Monday.
Subscription manager M. Shyam Priah, 35, took the initiative to form the group by sending a global message through the social network Facebook to all her friends requesting for assistance for a massive gotong-royong.
It is Shyam’s way of creating awareness on cleanliness.
“We had about 30 volunteers in the morning and more by noon.
“We have divided the area to three zones from the main gate to the stairs. It is not just about cleaning up because nothing will come out of it.
“We are doing a study on how many times the bins gets filled and how long it takes to see how much rubbish people discard. We want to see if there are enough rubbish bins around the temple.
Big pile: Volunteers R. Rajendran, 42, and Dr Al Wee, 49, helping to clean up the coconut offerings at Batu Caves“We want to create an awareness at a different level because when the attitude changes, it will last.
“I am glad to see that we have many Malay and Chinese volunteers who came to help in the clean-up,” she said.
Shyam said the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS), Alam Flora and temple committee members were also there to help them.
Student Ming Sing, 24, from Petaling Jaya left her home at 5.30am to volunteer her services in the clean-up.
“This will help create awareness on how we can save the earth.
“It is very surprising to see how people can throw rubbish indiscriminately,” she said.
Project manager Khairunisa Kamaruzaman, 30, decided to join in the good cause after hearing about it from friends.
“I have never been to Batu Caves before. I think this project should continue for other festivals as well. We should focus on reactive measures instead of just using preventive measures,” she said.
Datuks Crooner Khatijah Ibrahim looking at the the medal on the chest of Alleycats singer David Arumugam at Istana Abu Bakar in Pekan yesterday. They received the Darjah Indera Mahkota Pahang which carries the title Datuk. — NIK NAIZI HUSIN / The Star.
Terima kasih: David with his wife Sabrina Clyde (second from left) at the investiture ceremony yesterday. Looking on are David’s mother Meenambal Arumugam (right) and his mother-in-law Joyce Clyde. The singer is among 66 recipients of the DIMP award. — Bernama
