Anti-littering officers in Johor are now blending into the crowd to catch offenders. On Tuesday (Jan 20), officers from the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation wore casual clothing, such as t-shirts, jeans, baseball caps, and sunglasses, during an operation at Johor Bahru Sentral, next to the immigration complex at the Woodlands Causeway.
Leaning against railings, scrolling on their phones and sipping coffee, the officers appeared like regular commuters during the morning peak hour. While observing the area, they monitored people for littering activities.
Cigarette Butt Incident Caught on Camera
During the operation, a man sitting on a sidewalk flicked his cigarette butt into nearby bushes, unaware that an officer had recorded his actions. Moments later, officers approached him, flashed their badges and informed him that he had been caught littering.
The man protested that there was no rubbish bin nearby, but the officers proceeded with enforcement. By the end of the two-hour operation, five people were caught for littering. All of them were Malaysians and declined to comment when approached by the media.
“For most of them nabbed, they were littering even though they were standing close to rubbish bins, so that is very disappointing,” said Johor Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation director Zainal Fitri Ahmad.
He said the agency has been tasked with enforcing stricter anti-littering penalties across the country since the start of the year. “This culture of having a clean city is something we see elsewhere and we want to inculcate it here,” he added.
The stricter punishment applies to Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perlis and Kedah, as well as the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
Fines and Community Service Under the Law
Under the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672), offenders can be fined up to RM2,000. They may also be sentenced to community service for up to six months, with a maximum of 12 hours of work.
Whether community service is imposed will depend on the magistrate, who will consider factors such as the offender’s physical well-being.
Foreign Litterbugs Face Immigration Action if They Miss Court
Since Jan 1, Johor Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation has caught 55 people for littering. Just over half, or 28 of them, were foreigners, including five Singaporean tourists.
Foreigners caught littering will be issued an offence notice and informed of their court date later. Zainal Fitri said that foreigners who fail to attend court or complete mandatory community service will be reported to the immigration department for further action.
“(When they re-enter Malaysia), the record of them not turning up for court will be in the system and they may face enforcement action,” he said, confirming this applies nationwide.
First Court Cases to Begin This Week
Zainal Fitri confirmed that the first court appearances under the amended law will take place on Friday (Jan 23). The cases involve a Bangladeshi man and an Indonesian woman.
“From the earlier statements, they admitted to littering but let’s see what happens during court proceedings,” he said.
“This is a reminder to all not to litter irresponsibly in Johor. Our officers can be anywhere and they are in plain clothes,” he added.
