Govt pushes for civic responsibility with tougher anti-littering measures
Its minister Nga Kor Ming said in a statement today, the proposed amendments involve the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 (Act 133), Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672), and Local Government Act 1976 (Act 171).
'This aims to address littering of small waste items such as cigarette butts, tissues, plastic wrappers, drink cans, and food packaging in public areas.
'This step is crucial to foster greater civic responsibility, raise public awareness, and promote a culture of cleanliness, all of which contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable Malaysia for the well-being and comfort of the people,' he said.
Nga said that during the Malaysia Clean-Up Day programme on September last year, the ministry recorded a collection of 51.9kg of food waste, 64.3kg of paper waste, 127.6kg of plastic waste, and 541 cigarette butts — all within just 12 hours around the Pasar Seni area in Kuala Lumpur.
He said the data indicates that fines imposed by local authorities are no longer effective in deterring littering behaviour.
'Therefore, community service orders should be imposed as a more educational punishment to instill a sense of environmental responsibility among offenders and reduce pollution.'
The proposed amendments will empower the courts to order offenders to carry out community service for up to 12 hours. Failure to comply may result in a fine of not less than RM2,000 and up to RM10,000.
As Visit Malaysia Year 2026 approaches, Nga stressed that every Malaysian has a crucial role to play in maintaining public cleanliness to ensure a positive first impression for international tourists.
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