Minister Nga Kor Ming warns that littering, especially cigarette butts, can lead to RM2,000 fines or 12 hours of community service.
SHAH ALAM: Malaysians caught discarding rubbish in public — including something as small as a cigarette butt — now face fines of up to RM2,000 or community service of up to 12 hours, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming cautioned, as enforcement efforts continue to intensify across the country.
Speaking to reporters at the launch of the Sort & Drop – Recycle the Cartons programme at Aeon Mall Shah Alam today, Nga revealed that the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) had already taken action against 1,054 litter offenders nationwide as of this morning.
“All of them will be prosecuted in court. Many have already begun their community service sentences. Some were fined RM2,000, while others were ordered to sweep roads, clean drains, or scrub toilets for 12 hours. Those who cannot complete the service in a single day must return until it is done,” he said.
Cigarette butts topped the list of littering offences recorded, with Nga making clear that no leniency would be shown regardless of who the offender is or what time of year it is.
With millions of Malaysians set to travel during the Hari Raya festive season, the minister issued a firm reminder that enforcement would not let up during the holidays.
“I do not care whether it is Raya or not — wherever you litter, you will be held responsible. The hand that throws rubbish will be the hand that cleans it. Do not treat the road as a rubbish bin. If you have rubbish in your car, keep it there and dispose of it properly when you reach home. Patience is part of faith,” Nga said.
He stressed that the law applies to all — adults and children, Malaysians and foreign nationals alike — with no exceptions.
To reinforce festive season cleanliness, more than 300 SWCorp enforcement officers will be deployed at highways and rest areas nationwide to monitor public spaces as balik kampung travellers take to the roads. Additional large-scale enforcement and cleansing operations are also planned for the post-Raya period as part of a broader urban cleanliness reform agenda.
The event also marked a significant expansion of a national recycling initiative, now rolled out across 27 Aeon mall locations throughout Malaysia. The programme is a joint collaboration between Tetra Pak, KPT Recycle and the Housing and Local Government Ministry, aimed at encouraging Malaysians to recycle used carton packaging responsibly.
Among those present at the launch were Aeon Malaysia managing director Tsugutoshi Seko and Tetra Pak ASEAN sustainability director Terrynz Tan.
