MANY smokers are still disposing of cigarette butts in an irresponsible manner, says Johor health and environment committee chairman Ling Tian Soon.
He said as at Oct 22, Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) issued 3,469 notices of offence for minor littering or cleanliness violations around the state under the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672).
More than 95% of the notices involved cigarette butts.
“Of these, 167 were brought to court, resulting in total fines of RM105,750, while 94 individuals fulfilled community service orders.
“Previously, litterbugs only had to pay a fine but the amount was not high.
“With stricter implementation of Act 672 this year, offenders face higher fines and community service after undergoing court proceedings,” he told StarMetro.
Ling hopes it will serve as a deterrent and encourage the public to take greater responsibility for keeping their surroundings clean.
“Whether the rubbish you throw away is big or small, you must be prepared to face the law if enforcement officers catch you,” he said.
Ling said cleanliness and environmental protection were important to Johor’s aspiration to become a developed state by 2030 and to realise the Bandar Bersih Johor 2030 vision.
In line with this, Johor SWCorp director Zainal Fitri Ahmad said more than 366 smart partnerships had been formed while 2,639 communications and education programmes had been conducted.
“We have also set up 15 sustainable green communities and our efforts saw the collection of 7,270.74 tonnes of recyclable materials worth about RM2.6mil,” he said.
