‘Shared responsibility’: Hannah Yeoh urges public to help maintain cleanliness during Putrajaya National Day celebration
PUTRAJAYA, Aug 1 — Members of the public attending the 2026 National Day celebration at Dataran Putrajaya on Aug 31 have been urged to act responsibly by disposing of their rubbish at designated areas to ensure the venue remains clean.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh said she does not want a repeat of the recent incident at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, where large amounts of rubbish were left behind following a public gathering.
“Maintaining cleanliness is a shared responsibility. It is not solely the responsibility of Putrajaya Corporation (PPj) to collect rubbish after an event.
“Imagine coming to celebrate National Day, only to leave behind an area covered with rubbish. I do not think that creates a good impression, and I urge everyone present to dispose of their waste in the bins provided,” she told reporters after officiating the Madani Kita (PMK) programme with the Putrajaya Federal Territory community today.
The event was also attended by PPj president Datuk Mohd Sakeri Abdul Kadir.
During the programme, Hannah presented mock cheques representing a special contribution of RM5,000 from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to selected Kawasan Rukun Tetangga (KRT) or Neighbourhood Watch areas.
Hannah said her office is currently focusing on efforts to raise public awareness and believes the public has learned from the recent rubbish accumulation incident at Dataran Merdeka.
She added that PPj would increase the number of rubbish bins at strategic locations and enhance waste collection frequency to ensure the celebration area remains clean and comfortable.
“I will also ensure that PPj issues reminders and announcements to everyone present to dispose of their rubbish properly. This is a shared responsibility and not just the duty of local authorities to clean up after an event,” she said.
On July 20, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) conducted cleanup operations at Dataran Merdeka after the area was left littered following a large gathering to watch the live broadcast of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
DBKL said waste collection would continue, but stressed that maintaining the cleanliness of the capital should not depend solely on the efforts of cleaning workers after the public has left.
The 2026 National Day celebration would be held at Dataran Putrajaya on Aug 31 on a moderate yet vibrant scale.
“Malaysia Madani: Kesejahteraan Dinikmati” has been selected as the theme for the 2026 National Day and Malaysia Day (HKHM2026) celebrations, while the Malaysia Madani logo will continue to be used as the official logo for the celebrations until next year.
