{"id":65497,"date":"2026-07-02T11:19:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T03:19:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=65497"},"modified":"2026-07-02T11:19:44","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T03:19:44","slug":"johor-resident-who-works-in-singapore-starts-grassroots-squad-to-tackle-rubbish-problem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=65497","title":{"rendered":"Johor resident who works in Singapore starts grassroots squad to tackle rubbish problem"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">JOHOR BAHRU \u2013 For 11 years, Mohd Karami Rashid has been crossing the Causeway to work as a cleaner in Singapore, where he sees how public cleanliness is treated by many as a shared civic responsibility.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Whenever<!-- --> <!-- -->he returns to Johor, the contrast is hard to ignore.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">In 2023, he started to post on social media videos<!-- --> <!-- -->about clogged drains, rubbish-filled rivers and flood-prone roads to ask why public spaces in Johor could not be better maintained.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cAt first, I was only making videos on social media by myself to talk about cleanliness issues and compare Malaysia with Singapore,\u201d Karami, 37, told The Straits Times.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThe inspiration came from my own experience working in the cleaning sector in Singapore and seeing how cleanliness there is made a shared responsibility by society.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Cleanliness <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/asia\/se-asia\/litterbugs-in-malaysia-including-foreigners-may-trim-trees-as-part-of-new-community-service?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\">has long been a public issue in Malaysia<\/span><\/a>, where overflowing bins, clogged drains, illegal dumping and rubbish-strewn public spaces remain common complaints. This occurs despite regular government campaigns and municipal clean-up<!-- --> <!-- -->efforts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">While local councils are often blamed for poor enforcement and inconsistent maintenance, many believe the real issue is that Malaysians often see maintaining<!-- --> <!-- -->cleanliness as someone else\u2019s job.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Recognising<!-- --> <!-- -->the limits of what raising awareness can do, Karami decided in July 2024 that posting videos was no longer enough.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">He rallied several fellow Malaysians working in Singapore and began cleaning up neglected areas in Johor, launching what<!-- --> <!-- -->would<!-- --> <!-- -->later<!-- --> <!-- -->be known as Skuad Johor Bersih (SJB), a volunteer effort aimed at pushing the message that cleanliness is not solely the<!-- --> <!-- -->government\u2019s responsibility.<\/p>\n<p><iframe class=\"responsive-iframe-base tiktok tiktok-embed\" title=\"tiktok embed\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed\/v2\/7640093167194246401\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer;falseclipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;\" loading=\"eager\" data-testid=\"responsiveIframe\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">SJB\u2019s first videos<!-- --> <!-- -->were filmed along the Eastern Dispersal Link highway, near the Sogo shopping complex in Johor Bahru. This area was chosen as it would flood frequently during heavy rain due to the rubbish-clogged drains.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cI felt an issue like this needed attention because it affected the public,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">He said the condition of the area has since improved.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Aside from clearing rubbish, the group also tackles<!-- --> <!-- -->fallen branches and overgrown bushes that add to the unkept cityscape around the Johor state capital.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Since then, SJB<!-- --> <!-- -->has moved to other public spaces, including rivers, which Karami described as among the worst areas his group<!-- --> <!-- -->has encountered.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">He said the problem was not the absence of cleaning efforts, but the attitude of some members of the public who continue to dump rubbish indiscriminately, including in waterways.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cFor me, cleanliness is not only about picking up rubbish,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is also about educating and changing the attitude of society so that people become more responsible towards the environment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Karami said he has not received any reprimand from the authorities over his videos, despite frequently questioning why action had not been taken in some areas.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Instead, he said Johor caretaker<!-- --> <!-- -->Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi has shown support for SJB\u2019s efforts,<!-- --> <!-- -->including by joining the group\u2019s clean-up work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Karami said Onn described the group\u2019s effort as being aligned with the state government\u2019s Johor Bersih agenda of fostering a culture of cleanliness among the public.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWhat I am doing is to voice the issues faced by the people and help find solutions to longstanding legacy problems,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cI believe our goal is the same, which is to see the people\u2019s issues resolved and public services improved.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"portrait inline-media-wrapper\" style=\"--aspect-article-portrait:1140 \/ 1452\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/9a9cf3dc98c7df9af79d81cde2efad90bb28b14d7088a04b3ff3f45054a7c09a?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/9a9cf3dc98c7df9af79d81cde2efad90bb28b14d7088a04b3ff3f45054a7c09a?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/9a9cf3dc98c7df9af79d81cde2efad90bb28b14d7088a04b3ff3f45054a7c09a?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/9a9cf3dc98c7df9af79d81cde2efad90bb28b14d7088a04b3ff3f45054a7c09a\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/9a9cf3dc98c7df9af79d81cde2efad90bb28b14d7088a04b3ff3f45054a7c09a\" alt=\"Skuad Johor Bersih\u2019s founder Mohd Karami Rasyid (third from left) and crew meeting  Johor caretaker Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi at a cleanup event in 2025.\" class=\"aspect-portrait flex items-start shrink-0 portrait article-portrait object-contain mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 py-16 desktop:pb-24\">\n<p class=\"font-eyebrow-baseline-regular inline text-secondary\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Skuad Johor Bersih\u2019s founder Mohd Karami Rasyid (third from left) and crew meeting  Johor caretaker Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi (wearing jacket) at a clean-up event in 2025.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-eyebrow-baseline-regular inline text-placeholder\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->PHOTO: SKUAD JOHOR BERSIH<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Despite the name, Skuad Johor Bersih is not a registered non-governmental organisation and does not have formal membership. Similar informal groups have also emerged elsewhere in Malaysia, such as Hiyaz Community in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Like SJB, Hiyaz Community expressed that it was motivated by the lack of care by the local authorities, prompting members to do their own clean-up work in and around the Kelantan state capital.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Karami said he works mainly with friends, as the clean-up work is voluntary. Currently, there are 10 people who regularly take part in the group\u2019s clean-up work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Hundreds of people have contacted him to express interest in joining, he said, but he has kept the operation small. A Telegram group linked to the initiative now has about 530 members, and it is mainly a platform to share information and raise awareness about cleanliness issues.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cI am not an NGO,\u201d he said. \u201cI am only a volunteer using my own money and ability because I believe cleanliness is a shared responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe class=\"responsive-iframe-base tiktok tiktok-embed\" title=\"tiktok embed\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed\/v2\/7633423714524220693\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer;falseclipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;\" loading=\"eager\" data-testid=\"responsiveIframe\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Zul Yusof, 32, a<!-- --> <!-- -->construction worker from Johor\u2019s Pasir Gudang who has been following SJB\u2019s activities on social media, said he is excited to know that Malaysians are taking direct action to improve cleanliness.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Zul said he often watches videos from the United States and Britain about people going out to clean their cities, or helping poor families clean up their yards or powerwash their sidewalks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cIt\u2019s great to see that there are people here doing the same thing,\u201d he told ST. \u201cIt\u2019s not just a foreigner thing, but also something we can do in our own cities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Karami said Johor could learn from Singapore\u2019s civic mindedness<!-- --> <!-- -->and cleanliness standards, especially as the two neighbours grow more closely connected through trade, work and transport links.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">He added that while he has seen positive changes in Johor under the current state administration, the effort must continue.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cI hope our leaders speak out more about the issue of cleanliness,\u201d Karami said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cBut cleanliness is not only the responsibility of the government,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is the responsibility of all of us as people who love Johor.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-list-container\" data-testid=\"bulleted-article-list-test-id\">\n<ul class=\"pl-22 list-disc article-list-wrapper\">\n<li class=\"article-list-item list-item\" data-testid=\"bulleted-article-list-item-test-id\">\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Sign up for our weekly<a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/newsletter-signup?ref=inline-article%23nl_asian_insider_malay+sia_edition&amp;ref=inline-article%23nl_asian_insider_malaysia_edition#nl_asian_insider_malaysia_edition\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\"> Asian Insider Malaysia Edition<\/span><\/a> newsletter to make sense of the big stories in Malaysia.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<center><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/asia\/se-asia\/johor-resident-who-works-in-singapore-starts-grassroots-squad-to-fight-rubbish\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source <\/a><br \/>\n<center\/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>JOHOR BAHRU \u2013 For 11 years, Mohd Karami Rashid has been crossing the Causeway to work as a cleaner in Singapore, where he sees 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