KUALA LUMPUR: It has become a yearly affair that during the Hari Raya holidays many foreign workers in the country throng the city to spend the holidays. Many get together to spend time with fellow countrymen and enjoy eating together. But some of their bad habits have put them in a bad light such as littering, spitting and even urinating in the back alleys.

  Our checks around the city centre revealed piles of rubbish, mostly food and drink containers, littered everywhere. Betel nut stains were also seen along some drains and walkways near Lebuh Pudu.

  Taxi driver Mohd Suboh, 60, said this has been the norm  every Hari Raya for several years. "Every festive season, you will find street corners piling up with rubbish and the stench becomes unbearable.

  "Most of them chew betel nuts and spit onto the pavements, it becomes an eye sore.

  "We have many foreign tourists from countries like Australia and United Kingdom visiting these places, too. What will they think? City Hall should place more cleaners here to ensure the city is kept clean because just placing bins will not suffice. The bins go missing or get damaged," he said.

  He also said there is traffic congestion especially when RapidKL and Metrojaya buses are double parked opposite Mydin Wholesale Emporium near Sinar Kota, in Jalan Tun Perak.

  He suggested that during the festive holidays more enforcement officers be stationed int these areas for safety and security purposes.

  Despite the availability of bins, passengers still throw indiscriminately in buses and out of the windows of buses, said RapidKL station master Puadi Mustaffa.

  "The conditions inside the bus feels like a pasar malam even on a short trip from Pudu to KLCC," he said.

  Bumiputera traders hawkers association Taman Desa chairman Zamri Che Aini, 33, estimates the influx of foreign workers in the area on Hari Raya to be around 30,000.

  He said besides dumping rubbish, plants along the walkways are also trampled upon.

  However, he said even the locals litter, too.

  "On occasions like this, local traders like us, as well the bus operators, are able to make a profit as these foreign workers spend their money here," said Zamri, who has been running his business here for five years.

  Izzati Mohamad, 23, a houseman who was waiting for a bus to the airport, felt unsafe to be around so many foreigners.

  "They look and they stare. Luckily, I've not seen any incidents here but I think there should be some enforcement officers around to monitor the situation if a fight was to break out here," she said.

  Streets  went around the city and saw a mobile beat base in Lebuh Pudu with two policemen inside keeping watch of  the area, while no City Hall or Alam Flora workers were seen cleaning up the area during its round.