MELAKA: The Melaka Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) issued 85 offence notices for littering in public places and on roads across the state between Jan 1 and March 12.
Its director, Nor Zaki Md Nor, said the individuals involved comprised 67 adults and five local children, two adult tourists and one child tourist, as well as 10 foreign workers, who were all subject to action under the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act 2007 (Act 672), which came into force on Jan 1.
He said all of them faced a Community Service Order (PKM) involving 12 hours of cleaning work and a fine of up to RM2,000.
"Based on the NPK issued, the individuals, including teenagers aged between 15 and 18, were found to have discarded cigarette butts, tissues, mineral water bottles and plastic packaging," he said.
"During the New Year’s Eve celebration on Jan 1 alone, seven individuals were issued notices for littering, and all the cases will be brought to court in stages, with the first mention expected to take place on April 1," he told reporters here on Wednesday night (March 12).
Nor Zaki said the cases were detected through operations carried out at tourist hotspots, public areas and rest and service areas in the state.
He said the operations would continue throughout the Hari Raya Aidilfitri period.
He added that SWCorp would also work with the Melaka Road Transport Department to facilitate the process of tracking individuals who throw rubbish from their vehicles.
In another development, he said more frequent monitoring would be carried out at all 22 centralised garbage collection points in Melaka to prevent uncontrolled piles of rubbish during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.
"We are also in the process of installing more closed-circuit cameras in hotspot areas that are frequently used for illegal dumping," he said. – Bernama
