Former prime minister's childhood waterfall drowns in rubbish

GEORGE TOWN - The Bayan Lepas Waterfall, also known as Pak Lah’s waterfall, was once a favourite spot among the locals for picnics and recreational activities.

However, it is now neglected and has become dirty.

In fact, the site where former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi enjoyed swimming during his childhood is marred by rubbish, and the once-clear water is now murky and polluted.

A Bernama check found that the signboards at the entrance of the waterfall, located approximately 400 metres from the main road, were worn out and in poor condition. The road leading up to the site appeared to be overgrown with weeds, as if it had not been maintained for a long time.

A resident of Kampung Bukit, Daud Abd Rani, 60, said the situation posed a safety threat to locals, expressing worry that poisonous animals such as snakes might make the area their habitat.

"We used to bathe there when we were kids. Back then, the water was clean, and there were even freshwater prawns and fish.

"Pak Lah (Tun Abdullah) also used to swim here when he was young. This place was well taken care of when he was in office, and many people came for picnics. But after his tenure as prime minister, this place was neglected and became overgrown with weeds,” he told Bernama recently.

Another resident, Khazari Abdul Shukor, 30, said villagers have stopped swimming at the waterfall since a housing project was developed next to the area over 10 years ago.

"Since the flat project was completed, pollution arose due to the majority of foreign residents allegedly dumping rubbish from their homes onto the hillside, tarnishing the scenery and creating foul odours,” he said.

Ramlah Salleh, 75, expressed sadness over the current state of the waterfall, reminiscing about its lively atmosphere in the past when it was a favourite spot for local residents, especially children.

"Penang has only a few waterfalls, and one ends up like this. It’s a shame, considering its unique history that should be preserved as a heritage, not neglected and polluted,” she said, adding that it was not too late for authorities to take action.

Meanwhile, MBPP Mayor Datuk A. Rajendran, when contacted by Bernama, said the waterfall is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage.

However, MBPP had conducted a site visit on Feb 14 and would take short-term measures to address the issue of illegal dumping.

"We will organise awareness programmes for the surrounding residents and identify units occupied by foreign workers and their employers. MBPP will also conduct operations to clean up the rubbish along the road leading to the waterfall,” he said.

Regarding medium and long-term measures, Rajendran said MBPP is working to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to identify individuals dumping rubbish on the hillside around the flats.

"We will also appoint contractors to carry out regular cleaning on the hill slopes, as well as propose the construction of barriers or traps behind the flats to prevent rubbish from being dumped directly onto the hillside,” he said. - BERNAMA