This Stunning Pink Flower Pond In Sungai Petani Holds A Smelly Secret
The former sewage treatment plant has tourists flocking to it for its Insta-worthy vibe.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 16 Dec 2021, 01:19 PM
Thinking about paying JPY300 for a ticket to get into a Japanese garden just to enjoy the view of flowers?
Located in Sungai Petani, Kedah, a former sewage plant has become a hot attraction recently after photos of a 'field' of pink flowers went viral
Although the attraction is breathtaking — figuratively — you might need to hold your breath while you are there because "the place is told to have dreadful sewage smell", wrote lifestyle news outlet Places Malaysia on Facebook.
Photos online show that there are birds and leafless trees at the site, which make the scenery even more picturesque.
The flowers on the oxidation pond are called water hyacinths, also scientifically known as Eichornia crassipes
According to New Straits Times, they are called kemeling in Bahasa Melayu. They are a type of freshwater invasive weed found throughout the tropics and subtropics.
Kedah Health and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mohd Hayati Othman said the flowers were planted by the Sungai Petani Municipal Council (MPSPK) as a way to neutralise the foul stench, as chemical solutions were quite costly.
It is learnt that the pond started growing water hyacinths several years ago, but it did not cover the entire surface as local authorities were still carrying out maintenance work
It is not until recent times that the flowers have come into full bloom, creating a scenic view even to the surprise of MPSPK.
After the attraction went viral on social media, MPSPK erected a temporary security tape to prevent the public from entering a concrete bridge that extends towards the pond.However, New Straits Times noted that the tape did not stop visitors from crossing it.
Below are photos of how the sewage treatment plant looked like before the flowers bloomed.
The attraction is located near the Texas Chicken outlet in Taman Ria Jaya, Sungai Petani.
