KUALA LUMPUR: A Singaporean man was fined RM1,500 by the Sessions Court after he pleaded guilty to discarding a cigarette butt in a public place early last month.
Judge Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin imposed the sentence on Mohamed Nuh Qursaini Kayat, 25, and ordered him to serve one month in jail in default of payment.
He was also ordered to perform four hours of community service within one month.
He was accused of disposing solid waste – namely a cigarette butt improperly in a public space, near a convenience store along Jalan Bukit Bintang on Jan 1.
The charge was framed under Section 77A(1) of the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007, which provides for a maximum fine of RM2,000 and, in addition, a community service order of up to 12 hours in total within a maximum period of six months.
Mohamed Nuh Qursaini, who was unrepresented, pleaded for leniency, saying there was no rubbish bin nearby and that he threw it on the ground because there were already cigarette butts there, Bernama reported.
Speaking to the media after the proceedings, SWCorp chief executive officer Khalid Mohamed said to date, six foreign nationals had been charged for littering offences, including the disposal of cigarette butts.
“To date, 644 cases involving littering offences have been recorded under the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007, of which 500 involved Malaysian citizens,” he said.
Recently, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming told the Dewan Rakyat that offenders convicted of littering would carry out their Community Service Orders simultaneously on Feb 13.
