Langkawi Local Council To Clean Up Waters After Video Of Severe Trash Pollution Goes Viral

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According to The Star, Langkawi district officer Saiful Anwar Azmi said the Langkawi Municipal Council and several public and private agencies will be involved in the clean-up today.

Twitter user @amin_hafiszat shared the TikTok video with a man narrating how the island has been heavily polluted by people, allegedly taken a day after the island's reopening last Thursday, 16 September.

The video was taken in the waters near Bukit Malut and two prominent resorts.

Responding to the tweet that garnered over 16,000 retweets, Mahathir said he contacted the local council to handle the issue immediately.

"Langkawi is a tourist island. I call on everyone to be more responsible and not litter. Let us take care of Langkawi, the jewel of Kedah," he said.

"It is normal that whenever there is heavy rain or high tide, litter will be washed inland by waves. It comes from all over the place, including from neighbouring countries," he said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) spokespersons said the issue can still partly be blamed on tourism, as well as the Myanmar refugee settlement nearby.

MNS adviser D Kanda Kumar said business operators on the island should play their part by disposing trash in the right places. He also called on the authorities to improve enforcement and upgrade the island's sewerage system to prevent the issue from reoccurring.

Speaking to The Vibes, he said the authorities should construct a sewage system for its roughly 10,000 residents who live on stilt homes.

He also stressed on the risk of damaging the coastline if the littering continues.