Litterbugs in Johor to face RM500 fine, says MB

JOHOR BARU: Anyone found littering in public places will face a RM500 fine, says Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

The Johor Mentri Besar added that this is part of the state government's initiative to beef up its enforcement of environmental cleanliness under the Johor Bersih initiative.

"The state government and all 16 local councils in the state have discussed this matter, and it is high time that we take serious action on those who disregard the environment," said Onn Hafiz.

"We can issue a maximum fine of RM500 on those who are caught littering under the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974," he added.

He said this when met after conducting a visit to Sungai Tebrau near Taman Tampoi Utama here on Sunday (Feb 5).

The Machap assemblyman added that although the state government introduced the Johor Bersih initiative last year, the level of awareness among the public was still low.

"When we run programmes to clean our streets and rivers, it should be met proactively by the public.

"So now, besides conducting gotong-royong, there will also be enforcement," he said, adding that each state executive councillor had been given an area to monitor.

Onn Hafiz added that what the state government was doing was "added value" to the work done by the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) and SWM Environment Sdn Bhd.

"We have clean-up programmes in the rural areas, rivers, and public beaches every week, which goes above and beyond what we are supposed to do.

"This is supposed to be the jurisdiction of concessionaires, but I do not want to play the blame game, it is not productive," he said, adding that the state government would also need close cooperation from the private sector, GLCs and NGOs.