The Director of Malaysia Tourism Centre (MaTiC), Rudy Irwan, spent his Sunday afternoon (13 September) picking up trash on Saloma Link Bridge built across the Klang River in Kuala Lumpur.
Purposed as a pedestrian and cyclist bridge, the Saloma Link is often littered with used cups, used bottles, face masks and plastic bags among many other items.
So, Rudy took it upon himself to pick up after irresponsible individuals who treated the Saloma Link like a trash can and made the place spick and span.
When asked what his inspiration behind his kind deed was, Rudy told WORLD OF BUZZ that he had always wanted to create awareness among the public to keep the streets clean.
He said that he started plogging (jogging+picking up litter) about two years ago as there was too much rubbish on the streets. After a short hiatus, he decided to ride around the city on his bicycle to pick up trash again.
“Our group (BD Project) organized Plogging In The City in KL. Then I stopped for a while,” he told WORLD OF BUZZ.
“Recently I saw so many face masks thrown on the streets. So I decided to ride around the city and pick up the used masks. Then I continued to do it almost every week.”
“It’s not just about cleanliness/health but also the country’s image.”
“As the Director of Malaysia Tourism Centre (MaTiC), I believe this is a very important aspect/issue that needs to be addressed regularly,” he said, adding that he plans to do it consistently and to create awareness among the public.
On Twitter, he shared several photos of the Saloma Link clear of rubbish after he had picked up all the trash.
However, not even one day later, someone shared with him photos of the Saloma Link being littered again.
Rudy shared his disappointment in another Tweet.
“The Saloma Link is contaminated again! I was heartbroken when a member shared these pictures this morning. What do we do with the perpetrator who has this garbage mentality???” he said in his post.
This must’ve been extremely frustrating for Rudy as he had taken time out of his day to ensure that the bridge was clean, only to find that it was littered with trash again.
This shows that Malaysians still have a low-mentality where they think it’s alright to throw their trash anywhere they like. We cannot progress as a nation if this kind of mentality is tolerated. We need to do better.
Please remember to dispose of your rubbish in designated trash cans or keep your trash with you until you find a proper bin. Let’s work together to keep our country clean.
Also read: This #AnakMalaysia Poster Is Going Viral For Its Design Flaw, iQIYI Issues Public Apology
