Kota Kinabalu: Local architect Tan Young has called on authorities and the public to stop normalising unhealthy urban practices as part of local culture, warning that everyday dining habits beside running engines, open drains, and refuse centres pose serious public health risks.
Presenting at a recent Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) Advisory Council meeting attended by Sabah State Sewerage Service Department (JPPS) representatives, Tan raised concerns over patrons dining directly above sewerage manholes and adjacent to bin centres where airborne pollutants, foul odours, and pests compromise hygiene.
He pointed out that restaurant workers frequently wash dishes at the back of shoplots without proper plumbing, discharging food residue and wastewater straight into pedestrian walkways, roads, and drains.
According to Tan, the absence of properly installed and regularly maintained grease traps has led to severe accumulations of fats and oils in municipal drainage systems, triggering chronic blockages and stench.
To address these concerns, Tan submitted a series of recommendations to DBKK and JPPS, urging that sewerage manholes and enclosed refuse facilities be sited away from outdoor dining and pedestrian zones wherever practicable.
He also recommended establishing designated, plumbed dishwashing facilities, enforcing stricter grease-trap maintenance, halting direct waste discharge into open drains, and encouraging motorists to switch off idling engines near dining spots.
Tan stressed that these measures should be integrated into the planning and design of new developments as well as retrofitted into existing premises, urging that urban planning must prioritise daily public health, hygiene, and liveability across Kota Kinabalu and the wider country.
