AS global movements are being pushed to reduce greenhouse gas effects, the public is urged to do their part by raising plants at home.
So it is understandable that programmes are being held to push this agenda by giving away free plants.
But were decorative plants, which are not meant to be given away, taken home by visitors of an event in Melaka?
VERDICT:
TRUE
What started as a garden display ended with some visitors apparently taking the phrase “go green” a little too literally.
Several decorative plants displayed by the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) at Hang Jebat Stadium in Melaka during National Landscape Day 2026 on Thursday (Aug 6) were taken home by visitors.
According to a viral post on Threads, visitors mistook all plants in the area for free giveaways when the supposed free giveaways were taking place elsewhere.
Sinar Harian reported that the matter, however, was resolved after Melaka Historic City Council (MBMB) mayor Datuk Shadan Othman said MBJB workers clarified that the plants were not free giveaways.
"The situation occurred while MBJB workers were moving surplus decorative plants from the exhibition site into a lorry.
"Their actions attracted the attention of visitors, some of whom took the plants thinking they were meant for distribution," he said.
Despite that, some of the plants were still taken by the public.
Shadan said visitors who mistakenly took the plants home are not required to return them as no plants costing thousands of ringgit were taken during the incident.
He also said that trees meant for giveaway are to be distributed and collected at the tent located next to the Health Ministry’s mobile dental clinic.
National Landscape Day 2026 was held in Melaka from Aug 6 to 9, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim scheduled to officiate the opening ceremony on Aug 7.
