PETALING JAYA: Contractor Tan was about to drive off. Like so many other motorists, he took one last puff on his cigarette, threw the butt and got into the car.
An enforcement officer knocked on his window.
Tan ended up being sentenced to six hours of community service, sweeping the streets of Stulang Laut in Johor, and slapped with a RM500 fine, for littering.
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Indonesian Anita had been celebrating the New Year and hanging around a bus stop with friends. She took a last sip from her water bottle, left it at the bus stop and walked off.
Again, an enforcement officer stopped her. It was just an hour after the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672) came into force.
The irresponsible disposal of cigarette butts, tissues and paper receipts ranked the highest among offences recorded following the enforcement of the Act.
Other recorded offences included the disposal of plastic bottles and plastic containers in public areas and public roads.
Between Jan 1 and Feb 22, a total of 929 Notices of Offence (NPK) were issued to litterbugs, Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) chief executive officer Khalid Mohamed said.
Of the number, 732 were locals and 197 foreign nationals.
Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya recorded the highest number of offenders at 204, followed by Negri Sembilan (190), Kedah (176), Pahang (143) and Johor (105).
“A total of 79 notices were issued in Melaka while 32 were issued in Perlis,” he told The Star.
These states adopted the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act.
Explaining, he said the NPK is issued to notify the respective individuals of their offence.
As of Feb 8, six have been charged in court.
The Community Service Order under Act 672 came into effect on Jan 1 this year as a punishment to address the issue of littering in public places.
Offenders face a fine of up to RM2,000 and must complete up to 12 hours of community service within six months.
Earlier this month, four people – a Malaysian, a Singaporean, an Indonesian and a Pakistani – carried out community cleaning work at Dataran Merdeka as penalty for committing littering offences in the capital.
The clean-up lasted four hours, with the four assigned to collect dried leaves and litter in the vicinity of Jalan Raja and Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad.
Tan and Anita were among five who had to do the same in Stulang Laut.
Khalid said enforcement against litterbugs will continue to be employed holistically through a preventive approach, alongside continuous monitoring.
Technology, he said, is being considered to further improve enforcement and detection.
He added that SWCorp would also continue its patrols in identified hotspots, carry out consistent enforcement, alongside improving awareness among the public.
“These efforts are not only aimed at enhancing compliance under Act 672 but also at instilling cleanliness as part of daily routines,” he said.
