30,000 public spots monitored as littering offenders in Malaysia serve court-ordered community service, highlighting strict action against littering.

KUALA LUMPUR: Some 30,000 public spots and tourist hotspots nationwide are now under the watchful eye of authorities following a spike in small-scale littering.

Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) CEO Khalid Mohamad revealed that 742 individuals have been caught littering as of yesterday.

“Some have already faced action, while others are still going through the legal process. Every case comes with solid proof, including video and photos from body cameras worn by our officers on site,” he said.

He added that about 500 officers are deployed across the country in shifts, day and night, and not all officers wear uniforms.

“Some go undercover as ordinary passersby, food delivery drivers, or even in traditional attire like sarongs to catch offenders in the act. Monitoring doesn’t stop at office hours — operations continue until midnight in designated hotspots.”

Khalid said all offences are recorded on the spot to speed up investigations and cut down on red tape. “This also saves offenders a trip to the office. We take strict action with no compromises,” he added.

He said punishments vary at the court’s discretion, with some offenders ordered to perform six to ten hours of community service, while others do one to two hours a day. “The law allows a maximum of four hours per day, with a total of 12 hours.”

Earlier, offenders across Kuala Lumpur and in Pahang, Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, and Johor Bahru carried out their community service orders, sweeping, picking up litter, and doing their part to clean up public spaces — a hands-on reminder that small actions (or laziness) can have big consequences.

 The Sun Malaysia