Littering offenders in Kuala Lumpur begin court-ordered community service, sweeping and clearing public areas to promote cleanliness awareness.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) has put its words into action by enforcing court-ordered community service on offenders convicted of littering in public areas during New Year’s Eve celebrations.

SWCorp chief executive officer Khalid Mohamad said four individuals — one Malaysian, one Pakistani, one Singaporean, and one Indonesian — were each sentenced to a fine and a four-hour Community Service Order, to be completed within six months.

“They have agreed to complete the four-hour order today, which is the maximum duration allowed in a single day under the law. Our officers are monitoring the exercise to ensure compliance and to safeguard the offenders’ safety,” he said.

According to Khalid, the community service involved sweeping, clearing fallen leaves, and picking up small litter at designated spots that are not covered by routine cleaning operations. Each offender was assigned a specific area to ensure accountability and effectiveness of the exercise.

“Similar enforcement actions were carried out simultaneously at five locations nationwide, including Pahang and Kedah, following recent court decisions involving offences committed earlier this year.

“The initiative is part of broader efforts to instil public awareness on cleanliness, noting that most recent littering offences involved cigarette butts rather than larger waste such as bottles or food packaging. Littering remains a behavioural issue. Community service orders are implemented in many developed countries, including Singapore, and we believe this approach, alongside enforcement, can help shape better public attitudes towards cleanliness,” he added.

 The Sun Malaysia