KOTA KINABALU: Semporna is a town in urgent need of a clean-up as the rubbish and stench would catch the attention of any visitor to this Sabah east coast district, home to the world-famous diving haven of Pulau Sipadan.
The locals may have grown accustomed to the conditions but tourists, especially first-time visitors, may find the untidy town repulsive.
Occasionally, they leave comments on the less-than-appealing conditions in town while speaking highly of the beautiful experience in Semporna's waters.
Last week, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing warned that he might be forced to issue a red notice against travel to Semporna following a food poisoning complaint by a tourist at a resort.
ALSO READ: Act now to tackle hygiene issues in Semporna, says Tiong
Tiong's warning had shaken the powers that be in Sabah, with state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew saying that the government took the warning seriously and action was being taken.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor had instructed the Semporna district council to act on public cleanliness and health, Liew added.
Semporna's tourism players are concerned, as the dive industry is a golden goose that generates over RM300mil a year.
But many fear that this sudden drive to clean up the town could be a knee-jerk reaction by stakeholders that could easily fall back into apathy.
After similar complaints in 2018 about the stench and filth in Semporna town, the district set out on a determined effort to clean up the mess.
The plan by the then-district officer Bianus Kontong was to clean up the place and turn the bustling tourism and fisheries district into one of the cleanest districts by March 2019..
With the help of local NGO Trash Hero Borneo, areas around the main town were cleaned up with then chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who is Semporna MP and Senallang assemblyman, personally driving the campaign.
ALSO READ: No food poisoning outbreak in Semporna, says Shafie
The game plan even saw litterbugs being ordered to take part in cleaning up the town and villagers.
Public awareness programmes were conducted in all 60 villages on the mainland and 40 villages on the islands.
However, the local administrators admitted that the toughest challenge is getting the locals to cooperate.
“They are so used to throwing rubbish (anywhere) that we need to inculcate a mindset change,” said Bianus, who spearheaded the clean-up which was considered moderately successful back then.
But administrative changes and the shifting political landscape saw the east coast town slipping back into its old ways.
"People don't care and just throw things as they please. There is no fear of being caught," said a local resident who gave his name only as Rizwan.
ALSO READ: Sabah takes red notice warning on Semporna seriously, says Christina Liew
Tackling Semporna's litter woes is not easy, say those who have been trying to take on the problem for years.
Not only do the locals need a mindset change, the authorities also have to tackle the large transient population slipping into the district from the neighbouring Tawi Tawi chain of islands in the Philippines.
Various NGOs have been working with islanders on waste disposal and environmental conservation, but little change has been seen in the attitude of both islanders and mainlanders.
Tough enforcement to the point of shaming culprits to awareness campaigns have failed to see any significant change, said one resident, as they continue to regard both sea and land as their garbage dump.
Following Tiong's warning, some 200 volunteers gathered for a mass clean-up organised by Mohd Shafie's Parti Warisan over the Aug 19 and 20 weekend.
"We are doing our part to keep Semporna clean especially after (Tiong's) warning," Warisan's Soh Swee Tian said.
ALSO READ: Cleaning up Semporna's beaches is a shared responsibility: NGO
"Our district is a focal point for international tourists and there is no doubt that it must always be clean in terms of both environment and food hygiene," he said.
For restaurant operator Hajar Mansur, it was important for all food handlers to ensure a high level of hygiene as issues of food poisoning were bad for business.
"I always make sure our restaurant is clean, be it the dining room, the kitchen or toilet," he said, adding that his employees were told to prioritise cleanliness.
Tourism players in the district are hoping that hygienic practices among food handlers become ingrained in Semporna.
"They just can't take it lightly," Semporna Bumiputera Tourism chairman Kerino Jalani said.
ALSO READ: Semporna set to shine with clean-up efforts
"Tourism players need to jointly take care of their quality and services, especially food operators, so as not to cause harm to tourists.
"The community also needs to keep the town and beaches clean," he said.
Time will tell if Semporna and its people will shed their "litterbug" image and turn their stunning east coast town into a true paradise.
