Facing the law: Johor SWCorp enforcement officers issuing a notice to an individual caught littering during an operation in Johor Baru.
JOHOR BARU: There is no distinction between bad behaviour and littering, with offenders comprising both Malaysians and foreigners equally in the analysis of the 55 notices issued to those apprehended since the start of this year.
Johor Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) director Zainal Fitri Ahmad said the government has fully enforced Section 77A of the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act as part of the campaign to promote a cleaner urban environment.
“Of the total notices SWCorp has issued, 28 involve foreigners, including tourists and workers based around here, while the rest are locals,” he said after an operation in the city centre yesterday.
He said they caught litterbugs dropping cigarette butts, drink containers, tissues and other small waste items in public places.
“It is disappointing to see that these people would rather throw their garbage on the ground despite standing near rubbish bins.
“We want Johor Baru, as the capital of Johor, to remain clean and ready to welcome guests, in line with the state’s goals for the coming years,” he added.
Zainal said similar operations would be conducted regularly, noting that enforcement teams also engage in surveillance while in plain clothes.
He said two foreign nationals – one Bangladeshi and one Indonesian – will be brought to court on Friday, marking the first such cases in Malaysia under the newly gazetted provisions for littering enforcement.
Under the current framework, littering offences are not compounded and must instead go through court proceedings.
While foreign offenders are not barred from leaving the country pending the disposal of their cases, Zainal said the corporation will liaise with the Immigration Department if they fail to appear in court.
When asked about Singaporeans, he said five Singapore residents have been caught so far.
“One said they were not throwing rubbish but were collecting it first. These excuses cannot be accepted.
“Our country’s law is already clear, and we have informed the public through Facebook and other channels,” he said, adding that the campaign is aimed at changing behaviours, not punishing the community.
