WITH less than a month away before Penangites usher in the Year of the Dragon, the state government has called on the public, individuals and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to lend a hand to the upcoming ‘Spring Cleaning @ George Town World Heritage Site 2012’ programme.

Unlike the state’s first gotong- royong programme which covered the entire core heritage zone early this year, state Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the focus would be on the Weld Quay clan jetties this time.

“Spring cleaning is a Chinese New Year tradition and we hope to get some 500 participants to help the residents clean up the clan jetties.

“We are giving the jetties special attention because the area is an important tourism spot,” he told a press conference yesterday.

Spring Cleaning @ George Town World Heritage Site 2012’ will be held on Jan 15 from 8am until noon.

Participants must register at the Chew Jetty community hall on the day itself.

Some 50 Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) workers will also join the group in cleaning up the area.

Chow said the council would also help the residents dispose off their old bulky furniture a week before the programme.

“Items like old sofa and fridge should be left outside their house and the MPPP workers will pick them up,” he said.

Among the activities on that day are an aerobics session and the pruning and planting of trees.

There will also be a lucky draw for participants with prizes including a television set and wrist watch.

Chow said similar gotong-royong activities would be held at four other zones namely Acheh Street, Cintra Street, Padang Kota Lama and the Friendship Park (in front of City Bayview Hotel) on Jan 8.

As part of the ‘Spring Cleaning @ George Town World Heritage Site 2012’ programme, 120 rubbish bins costing RM22,000 will be placed within the heritage zone.

MPPP president Patahiyah Ismail said the programme was aimed at getting the community to come together to clean up their living environment.

“It’s not about the council coming in to clean the area for them — it’s about working together,” she said.

On a separate matter, Chow said the RM1mil upgrading works on the ‘must-visit’ clan jetties was on-going.

He said work on the Lim and Tan jetties had been completed while that of the other five would continue next year.

On the area’s cleanliness, Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Lau Keng Ee said rubbish floating on the water was not the doing of the residents.

“The garbage floats from other areas during high tide and it’s very difficult to clean it up because you cannot use machines. You have to climb down and do the job manually.

“Early this year, the state government allocated RM10,000 for this purpose and I am now waiting for the next round of allocation so that we can do a second cleanup before Chinese New Year,” he said.

He said residents would be paid RM80 per day to do the cleaning once the allocation was approved.

“It’s not an easy job but the residents know the area best and can do the job well,” he said.

For details on the ‘Spring Cleaning @ George Town World Heritage Site 2012’, call Lau at 012-4422511.

Source: The Star