KUALA LUMPUR: As Malaysians do their part during the Movement Control Order (MCO) by staying home, there are those who keep our cities and towns clean and well-maintained during the period.
Cleaners, sewage and sanitation workers, street sweepers and grass-cutters have kept our cities and towns habitable during the MCO, toiling quietly outdoors on a daily basis despite fears that the Covid-19 virus could pose a threat to their lives.
For these workers, working under the MCO has its challenges.
Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) driver Mohd Shah Rizal Md Amin, 41, said he and his colleagues observed social distancing as required under the MCO.
This, he said, could be very difficult as most of the work was carried out in teams.
“It is tougher for us to exercise social distancing when we have requests for responsive desludging and are required to work as a team.
“We will position ourselves in the vehicle by keeping one seat empty between one another.”
He said the workers were also required to wash themselves thoroughly after finishing their job.
“During this MCO period, we are required to wear face masks in all operations.
“We also wash our hands regularly and use hand sanitisers, which are provided. When we are done with the work, we wash our gloves and hands thoroughly with soap,” he told the New Straits Times.
Rizal, who has been with the company for 16 years, said many people packed their own lunch from home to limit interactions with others.
On how the public can play their part during the period, he advised home residents to dispose of their waste properly.
“Do not throw cooking oil into the sink as it will not dissolve as it flows through the pipes.
“The oil will harden like cement and this will hamper drainage flow. Over time, it will block the sewer pipelines.
“People have this misinformation that old medicines or toxic substance can be safely flushed down the toilet. In reality, this will lead to pollution in the water system.”
Shah Alam City Council public health supervisor Saari Osman, 43, said he made sure his staff were well protected by taking preventive measures, including wearing face masks and gloves, while on duty.
“Before starting the shift, we are required to sanitise our hands and have our body temperature taken.
“The staff are then required to sanitise themselves again before being deployed to the site.
“Alhamdulillah, none of them have shown any symptoms of Covid-19 like fever or cough.
“Those who are unwell will be excluded from site work,” he said, adding that his team had been reduced to only 26 people.
He said the workers were also told to maintain a distance of one metre from each other.
As for the team’s job scope, he said it had been modified for the MCO.
“We also have a ‘flying squad’ to clear food waste at roadblocks manned by the police and armed forces in the municipality.
“In addition, we provide bulk waste collection at residential schemes.”
He said during the MCO, many people took the opportunity to spring-clean their home and this required additional waste disposal services from the council workers.
“We have placed a three-tonne Roro (roll-on roll-off) bin in each neighbourhood to make it easier for residents to dispose of furniture and other bulky items.”
He said the public could help by disposing of their waste properly and maintaining cleanliness in their neighbourhood.