If the Zika virus can get a strong foothold in squeaky clean Singapore - although it is possible that the infection was transmitted by travellers as Singapore is a tourist and commercial hub - one shudders at what will happen in Malaysia especially in the urban areas, which are a haven for mosquitoes due to the insanitary and untidy conditions.

The dengue epidemic has continued unabated for the past 40 years with no solution in sight. Now it could be worse, with Zika joining in the competition. In Selangor it could be a nightmare as the local government system has broken down with the exit of Alam Flora when the Pakatan Rakyat administration took over, and was replaced with small-time contractors who do not have the resources to ensure that the drains and public areas are kept clean.

This is worsened by the lack of proper supervision by the municipal authorities. The Zika epidemic, if it gains a foothold in Selangor, will be hard to eradicate given the deteriorating and insanitary conditions. It is time the local authorities got their act together to confront the twin terrors of dengue and Zika in Selangor and around the country

Most of the drains in the cities,towns and urban areas are stagnant, filthy and smelly and are fertile breeding grounds for various types of mosquitoes as well as rodents.This is due to the builders and developers not grading or sloping the drains to ensure a quicker flow of water. Due to this the water stagnates and all types of rubbish accumulates in the drains.

Developers of housing estates,when doing the earthworks, need to ensure that drains are graded for a swifter flow of water and the run-off. Fortunately, it rains heavily frequently in the country, if not the drains will stink to high heavens. Adding to the problem is the discharge by restaurants, motor-workshops markets, food-courts and hawkers which pollute and stink drains for kilometres around.

Given that not much can be done about improving the drainage system in the urban and residential areas, the only other way is to have regular and scheduled spraying of insecticide and fogging very much like the scheduled collection of garbage and grass cutting. Whether there are dengue or Zika infections or not, all residential, commercial, industrial and public areas must be sprayed or fogged.

If the British colonialists could wipe out the even deadlier malaria with relentless spraying of anti-malarial insecticide in the drains and streams, why can’t the same be done now for the dengue and Zika epidemics?

Local authorities need to be strict with residents to ensure that road reserves and public areas are kept open and not cultivated with various plants and trees that block drains with their dead leaves and offer hiding places for mosquitoes.The authorities must act on complaints concerning abandoned houses and vehicles, vacant lots overgrown with undergrowth and illegal rubbish dumps.

Residents associations need to be formed or revitalised in the housing estates and gated communities to ensure that their residential areas are clean and well maintained by the local authorities.

Need to encourage recycling

States such as Selangor which have a large urban population need to encourage recycling by providing a subsidy if necessary to clean the huge mess of glass and plastic bottles, Styrofoam boxes and other items that litter the roadsides and public places.

Glass and plastic manufacturers should be required to ensure that a certain percentage of their products is made of recycled items. If the recyclers and collectors find that they are reasonably paid for their efforts, hardly any litter of this sort will be lying around to be an eyesore or a breeding ground for mosquitoes and rodents.

There is also a need for a system of sanitary supervisors to ensure that every nook and corner of the area under the jurisdiction of a local authority is spruced up and kept tidy. It is regrettable that as the country develops, cleanliness and proper maintenance have not kept pace with it.

The system of appointing councillors in Selangor needs to be re-looked as most of the appointees are not interested or keen to keep their areas well-maintained. Selangor has now become the most insanitary state in the country due to the apathy of the state representatives, the councillors, the local authorities and the contractors. The state needs to take pro-active measures to rectify the problems due to the looming threat of dengue, chikungunya and now Zika.