KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Public Complaints Bureau (PCB) chief Wilfred Yap and Kuching South City Council (MBKS) councillor Lee Jun Choi assisted scavenger workers at BDC Recycling Centre here by setting up “Persatuan Pencinta Kitar Semula Taman BDC Kuching”.
Yap said the purpose of setting up this association for the scavenger workers was to encourage residents at BDC area to recycle as well as to address the issue of excessive waste.
“It is also to represent the workers in negotiating and entering into an agreement or a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MBKS to allow them to continue operating at the recycling centre,” he said today.
Yap, who is also SUPP Kota Sentosa Branch chairman, was appointed as legal advisor for the association.
Meanwhile, Lee agreed to assist members of the association by negotiating and presenting their case to MBKS so that the council can properly evaluate and consider the association’s request to adopt and manage BDC Recycling Centre.
“The members of the association have promised to follow and obey all the instructions and directives made by MBKS officers to clean and maintain the recycling centre,” said Yap.
He said a decision from MBKS to allow the association to adopt and manage the recycling centre will assist the scavenger workers by empowering them to sustain their current meagre earnings to support their families.
He said the workers had informed SUPP PCB that they had been working at the recycling centre for the past seven years since they were first given permission by MBKS to separate clothing and other items discarded by the public for recycling purposes.
“The workers also said that it is their only source of income to support their families.
“Their earnings come from the sales of clothing and items that they sorted out as MBKS does not pay them daily or monthly,” said Yap.
SUPP PCB is ever ready to lend a helping hand to anyone facing problems or who come across issues of public interest but are unsure of how to handle them.
Anyone requiring assistance can contact SUPP PCB at 016-7797688 or 082-246999, or directly visit the SUPP Head Office to request for assistance.
