IT is common to hear of residents in housing areas complaining about their nights being disturbed by unsolicited noises. This has interrupted their sleep, which in turn may bring about health issues.
What are unsolicited noises?
FIRST, it is the occasional barking and howling of neighbourhood dogs. This is acceptable and tolerable, up to a point. But often, the barking and howling quickly degenerate into a seemingly free-for-all cacophony when there are also strays on the streets.
Granted that the respective households are responsible and must step in to rein in their pets but strays are, as their names reflect, obligated to no one and are free to do as their instincts dictate. This clashing mix of noises goes on intermittently throughout the night, enough to send even the calmest of nerves to a boiling point. The situation becomes worse during mating season.
There are regulations and acts on the control of strays. These should be enforced more strictly.
SECONDLY, every so often, during the hours between after midnight Saturday and early dawn Sunday, the loud booming sound of motorcycles’ throttles permeate the air. Unbelievable but true. Illegal motor races take place on the roads and alleys of town.
The noise can be deafening and certainly most irritating, more so if you are awakened from your sleep. They go round and round their “circuits”, cheered on by some enthusiastic onlookers. The racers may even be on drugs. In their “joy”, they are causing misery to residents in housing areas within and around town.
Here again, enforcers and enforcement are seriously lacking.
THIRDLY, entertainment outlets are necessary but some go overboard. There are open-air karaoke platforms/stages. Their loudspeakers are on full blast. While their customers, especially those who have consumed a few drinks, may enjoy the loud music, the same certainly cannot be said of residents in nearby housing areas who are trying to rest and get some sleep. The night air and surrounding concrete structures may act as partial noise filters/barriers. So, it is like, “now you hear it, now you don’t”. Besides, the sound of drums seems to vibrate back and forth, approaching and receding from your hearing. It is most irritating. And, oftentimes, it goes on past midnight.
Surely there are conditions that govern the operations of a night entertainment outlet? If there are, they don’t seem to be followed.
FOURTHLY, traditional festival celebrations seem incomplete without the sound of firecrackers. So, long strings of firecrackers are hung up and then lit with gusto.
This usually happens after dinner and prayers. The continuous loud clattering sound for each string of firecrackers being burnt lasts for one to two minutes. It finishes off with a big bang. And then another string is lit. There are also firecrackers specially made to produce just one abrupt “sonic” boom, enough to send unsuspecting listeners off his/her chair. One shudders to think what impact this sound in the night may have on sleeping babies and infants.
We have regulations and laws governing firecrackers and the like. Again, enforcement is sadly lacking. Everybody does as he/she thinks right.
We will continue to be perturbed by the unsolicited noises in the night as long as enforcement remains lukewarm and ineffective.
LIONG KAM CHONG,SEREMBAN, NEGRI SEMBILAN