MP makes Facebook appeal over litter at MPC@Khatib

Since its opening in July 2017, the multi-purpose court in Khatib, MPC@Khatib, has often been littered with trash.

The problem prompted Nee Soon GRC MP Lee Bee Wah to post on her Facebook account images of five individuals the authorities are looking for.

Parts of their faces were blurred out.

Ms Lee told The New Paper of her May 24 post: "I shared this to residents on my private profile.

"I hoped that residents would know who they are, so the National Environment Agency (NEA) can contact them."

The images were captured by closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras in the area, she added.

Asked if the move amounts to doxxing, the act of publishing identifiable information about a person with the intention to harass, Ms Lee said it does not because no information like names and addresses were published and it was just an appeal for information.

She added: "I appeal to the public to let NEA complete their investigation. If you know who these people are, contact NEA.

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"Do not harass them in real life or publicise their personal information."

Ms Lee, who is chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee of Environment and Water Resources, has suggested getting the help of the public to combat the problem of litter in before.

In 2015, she told The Straits Times she had suggested to NEA to implement a reward system where people are given a portion of the summons payment after submitting evidence of litterbugs caught in the act.

RECURRING PROBLEM

According to Ms Lee, litter at the MPC@Khatib, which has four basketball courts among its facilities, has been a recurring problem troubling residents.

Ms Lee said: "It could lead to pest issues and is very unsightly. Many residents are very upset.

"The elderly who exercise early in the morning, before the cleaners get there, have to be careful not to trip on the litter."

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Ms Lee said there have been measures taken to prevent litter such as the installation of a water dispenser so that people who use the court do not have to bring disposable bottles.

CCTV cameras were also installed in the area, but the problem persists.

"We will continue education and enforcement to solve this issue," said Ms Lee.

Chinese-language newspaper Shin Min Daily reported last Wednesday that there are about 10 closed-circuit television cameras in the area.

There are also 10 rubbish bins around the courts.

A resident of the area, who wanted to be known only as Ms Chen, 28, told Shin Min: "Most of the people who come here are students.

"If you want to solve the problem of littering, you should educate the students to have the right mentality."

This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.