By Aida Aziz
IPOH: Armed with only a litter picker and a long-distance touring bicycle, this young man from Ipoh travels across Peninsular Malaysia solely to collect rubbish.
Everyone has their own way of showing love and affection for their country, and for Tan Tah Meng, 33, this is the sweetest way. He began this charitable effort in 2022.
Elaborating further, Tah Meng said he decided to collect litter solo while cycling after hearing unpleasant feedback from several friends from overseas about the attitude of some people who casually litter.
Without blaming any party, including the authorities, the piano teacher instilled a personal resolve to educate the public and spread awareness about the importance of cleanliness and avoiding single-use plastics.
“In 2022, I was still using a car to collect rubbish at certain locations in Malaysia. The following year, I switched to a bicycle because it’s easier.
“Each year, I take a month off from teaching piano to my students since I work as a freelancer.
“For 2026, I’ve already cycled while collecting litter in many states, including Perak, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, and I’ll be heading to Johor, Melaka and possibly Kuala Lumpur.
“When cycling and collecting rubbish, I usually take shelter at temples, petrol stations, or camp by the beach.
“I’ve had friends from overseas who visited Malaysia ask me whether people here like to litter, because when they take the bus they can see rubbish thrown in several places,” he told Ipoh Echo/Peraktastic.
He added that instead of repeatedly sending complaints or grievances to local authorities (PBT), he felt it was better to take his own approach by raising public awareness.
“Many people can say they love the country or claim to be Malaysians, but to me, what matters is what you do or contribute to the country. This is how I prove that I love Malaysia.
“I want to cultivate public awareness so that together we can ensure the country stays clean. We shouldn’t rely solely on local authorities, we also need a sense of responsibility not to litter carelessly,” he said.
Throughout his charitable work, he focuses mainly on locations with heavy litter along roadsides and drains, such as the East–West Highway (JRTB) in Gerik and coastal areas along the East Coast.
“When I collect rubbish by the roadside, many people honk their horns as a sign of support, and some even give me drinks as a token of appreciation for my efforts.
“Usually, there’s a lot of rubbish along roadsides and beaches. Some say beach litter is caused by the monsoon, but in my view, some of it is clearly thrown deliberately, such as disposable baby diapers and food containers like plastic,” he said.
After completing his tour at the end of this month, Tah Meng has already outlined plans to bring his message of litter awareness to schools.
He actively shares his experiences continuing this noble effort on his social media platforms such as Facebook (TahMeng Tan) and TikTok (howdoyoulove_malaysia).
“I will prepare a proposal, and if I receive permission, I will visit schools around Perak and then other states like Penang and Kuala Lumpur, in the hope that our children will develop awareness from a young age,” he said.
