Thumbs Down
By A. Jeyaraj
People were throwing garbage under the tree at the corner of Tarcisian School at the junction of Jalan Kinta and Persiaran Tun Abdul Razak in Lim Garden. The tree is next to the school canteen and is unhygienic for the students. As soon as MBI workers clear the place, more garbage is thrown immediately.
Residents living nearby decided to clear the place around the tree and plant flowers along the edge of the road to deter people from dumping their garbage. On a Saturday morning, concerned residents cleaned the area and planted flowering plants. Though the number of volunteers was small, the job was completed as planned.
In spite of the fasting month, heat and his age, Shafruddin Nasution, Chairman, Rukun Tetangga, Lim Garden came along and did his bit. His support was appreciated.
Having done their good work, the residents had hoped that people would stop depositing garbage there. Having good intentions is one thing but I have come across places where people dump garbage in spite of flowers being planted. In boleh land, both the so-called professionals and laymen share the same callous attitude in disposing of garbage.
Postscript: Sure enough, I received a call from one of the residents complaining that people have thrown rubbish in the area they had beautified. I visited the site and noticed plastic bags thrown around the tree trunk and next to the plants. It looks like it is easier for me to train my dogs on where to do their business than to teach people where to deposit their rubbish. Most of the residents in Lim Garden are supposed to be educated. (I hope my dogs are not offended by being compared to human beings.)
