THE full enforcement of the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 is expected to bring about improvement in public behaviour on littering.
However, the long-term success will depend on changing the people’s mindset rather than relying on penalties alone, say stakeholders.
Environmental practitioner Ahlami Mirza Ahmad said while stricter enforcement was necessary, Malaysia’s littering problem stemmed from public apathy towards proper waste disposal.
He said Malaysia’s fight against littering had long been undermined by a lack of civic responsibility.
“In most public areas, waste bins are widely available, so accessibility is not the issue.
“The real problem is the mindset that someone else will take care of the rubbish or that it will naturally decompose,” he said.
Ahlami said penalties including community service played a role in addressing the littering problem, compelling people to rethink their habits.
He cited examples such as festive programmes, where public spaces were often left with rubbish littered everywhere despite the availability of waste bins.
He said similar situations were observed in urban centres following public celebrations.
“This shows that the issue is not infrastructure, but behaviour,” he added.
On enforcement capacity, Ahlami said no agency was equipped with manpower to monitor every act of littering.
He suggested that authorities adopt strategies similar to those used in enforcing smoking bans in eateries.
“It requires consistent visibility and targeted enforcement rather than blanket monitoring,” he said.
Ahlami emphasised that public awareness was just as important as enforcement in driving behavioural change.
He pointed to Japan as an example of how strong civic values shaped a clean environment.
“In Japan, public bins are limited, yet the streets remain clean because people take responsibility for their waste,” he said.
He highlighted that such practices demonstrated how collective behaviour could influence individuals.
“We have seen small changes locally as well, such as football fans beginning to clean up after matches,” he noted.
Regarding the challenges, Ahlami said enforcement officers could face difficulties in both urban and rural settings.
He said Malaysia’s large migrant population made compliance harder to enforce.
“Educating foreign workers on local laws and practices requires sustained effort,” he said.
He further said that limited access to waste collection services remained a concern in rural areas.
“In some villages, burning waste is still a common practice,” he pointed out.
He said that better integration of rural communities into formal waste management systems was needed.
Ahlami also highlighted the recurring issue of illegal dumping hotspots in urban areas.
“Despite signage of warnings, certain locations continue to be used as dumping grounds for bulk waste such as furniture and renovation debris,” he said.
On the issue of fairness, he acknowledged concerns that fines might disproportionately affect lower-income groups.
He suggested that courts consider community service as the primary form of punishment for citizens.
“For non-citizens, fines may be more practical as they may not remain in the country long-term,” he said.
Complementary measures to ensure the law’s effectiveness was needed, said Ahlami.
“Integrating waste management education into the national school curriculum is one way,.
“This will help instil civic responsibility from a young age.”
Stronger collaboration between local councils and communities should be explored, he said.
“Town hall sessions can help identify gaps in waste collection systems and address localised issues.”
Ahlami said communities should be involved in cleaning up areas that had become dumping grounds.
“This creates a sense of ownership and encourages long-term behavioural change,” he said.
He also warned against inconsistent enforcement undermining the effectiveness of Section 77A of the Act.
“If the law is not enforced consistently, it risks being seen as symbolic rather than impactful.
“Authorities must be proactive rather than reactive,” he said.
Johor Tourist Guides Association chairman Jimmy Leong said cleanliness in Johor Baru city had improved since the Act made community service mandatory for littering offenders.
“However, there are still irresponsible people throwing cigarette butts and plastic waste carelessly despite rubbish bins nearby.
“This is about changing the mentality. It will take some time before we see real change among Malaysians when it comes to littering,” he opined.
Leong said that Johor Baru as the southern gateway into Malaysia, it was important to keep the state capital clean to give visitors a good impression.
“We are located next to Singapore, which is known for its cleanliness and foreign tourists will always compare us with the island republic.
“To uphold our image, all of us should work together to keep our city clean from litter.” – By MOHD FARHAAN SHAH
