The Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) will use a beach cleaning machine, dubbed the ‘Sand Man’, to clean the beach of Batu Ferringhi, from tomorrow.

The equipment, which was purchased at a cost of RM72,000, would be handled by an operator and the cleaning work, encompassing a 1.8 kilometre area at the beach, would be carried out four days a week.

MPPP president Patahiyah Ismail said the council would determine in the next six months whether to buy more of the machine to clean other beaches in the area.

“We are confident using the machine can beautify the Batu Ferringhi Beach,” she told reporters after launching the machine in George Town today.

Patahiyah said the American-made machine could collect 20 litres of various types of garbage at one time and moved at 5.5 kilometres an hour.

- Bernama