BARIO – A working visit to the “Asher Machine” landfill site here was conducted on Tuesday by Datuk Dr Penguang Manggil, Sarawak Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government.
The visit aimed to assess solid waste management practices implemented by the Miri City Council in the remote highland region.
Datuk Dr Penguang stated that the use of the Asher incinerator represents the most practical waste disposal solution for rural areas such as Bario.
He emphasized that this technology is particularly suited to addressing waste challenges in longhouse settlements and isolated villages where conventional waste collection is not feasible.
The Deputy Minister also highlighted the critical importance of community participation in sustainable waste practices.
He urged residents to actively adopt the 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) principle and to separate food waste, hazardous materials, and non-combustible items to improve overall waste processing efficiency.
In addition to inspecting the current incinerator operation, the delegation visited the site of a new landfill construction project, which is being developed as a community initiative to enhance local environmental cleanliness and sustainability.
Datuk Dr Penguang stressed that proactive waste management is essential to prevent environmental deterioration.
Accompanying the visit were Pemanca Caleena Sakai, Head of the Bario Kelabit Community, and local councilors Lian Tarawe and Lilla Raja, along with officials from the Miri City Council.