KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 – Residents from the KinraraMas development in Puchong have complained about a spike in respiratory illnesses and diarrhoea that they blamed on an illegal garbage dump nearby.
Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported a resident called LO Loh as saying that she has been suffering from severe sore throat.
“Not only me. Others are also having a sore throat or throat dryness,” the resident, who lives 40m from the waste dump, was quoted telling reporters yesterday.
Hundreds of residents reportedly held a demonstration in front of their apartments, saying: “YB tolong turun padang” (MPs, please visit us), and “We voted you with trust”.
The residents from KinraraMas apartments and townhouses reportedly first noticed the waste dumping site last March.
KinraraMas committee member M. Ananthan reportedly said that 20 to 30 lorries that used to dump rubbish in the site have stopped doing so after residents sent a petition to Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin to stop all illegal dumping activities.
“They are doing something but not fast enough. Now, lorries are levelling the tonnes of garbage on the land, burying it.”
He alleged that residents were falling ill from the toxic leachate from the waste and stench.
KinraraMas committee member Gan Kian Yeap reportedly said the committee has received additional flu, diarrhoea, and asthma complaints.
“Recently, someone was admitted in hospital for a respiratory infection.”
The KinraraMas development, located next to Bandar Kinrara, comprises two blocks of 540 apartments and 56 townhouses.
