Kuala terengganu: The Kuala Terengganu City Council (MBKT) spent RM40,000 on waste clean-up operations at the RXZ Members 8.0 event site at the Gong Badak Motor Racing Circuit near Kuala Nerus, following the programme held from Friday to Saturday.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Kuala Terengganu mayor Lizan Che Mamat stated that the expenditure covered overtime payments for workers, additional lorry trips, and extended operating hours at the Sungai Ikan landfill. Despite the provision of rubbish bins throughout the venue, participants still littered indiscriminately.

"A total of about 130 tonnes of solid waste, mainly food and beverage packaging, was collected from the RXZ Members 8.0 event site. As a result, we had to increase the number of waste collection trips, while MBKT personnel were required to work overtime to ensure the city remained clean," Lizan noted, highlighting the challenges faced by the council.

Lizan further mentioned that although the number of rubbish bins may have been insufficient due to an attendance exceeding 100,000 people, waste should have been gathered at designated collection points rather than being discarded everywhere. This situation has prompted MBKT to consider making it compulsory for organisers of large-scale events to submit a solid waste management plan as a condition for future approval.

Additionally, the council plans to review the cleaning deposit imposed on organisers to alleviate the financial burden on the local authority. Lizan emphasized the importance of shared responsibility in maintaining environmental cleanliness while welcoming large-scale activities that benefit tourism and the local economy.