KOTA KINABALU: A fishing trawler owner was slapped with a fine for littering the waters off the city here.
The trawler crew were caught on camera by members of the public throwing their garbage into the sea and reported it to the Kota Kinabalu City Hall.
Mayor Datuk Noorliza Awang Alip said that a witness was prepared to come forward so that action could be taken against the trawler crew or the company owners.
However, the trawler company owner admitted that it was a mistake by employees to throw the litter into the sea, she said.
The company was compounded with a maximum rate of RM500 under the Kota Kinabalu City By-law (Anti-Littering), 1983 Amendment 2005 for disposing garbage from the ship into the sea.
Noorliza said that Kota Kinabalu City Hall often received complaints related to littering at sea committed by some members of the maritime community.
“We will intensify our operations to check on these people who commit such offences,” she said in thanking the public for playing a role in assisting the council act against such littering at sea.
She urged fishing boat owners to advise their crew not to dispose of rubbish at sea.
Kota Kinabalu City Hall is constantly faced with the challenge to clean up the city’s shoreline where tonnes of rubbish including plastics wash ashore on a daily basis.
