Litterbugs in Johor to face $155 fine
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Rubbish along the banks of Johor River.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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JOHOR BAHRU - Anyone found littering in public places in Johor will face a RM500 (S$155) fine, said Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi on Sunday.
Datuk Onn said this is part of the state government’s initiative to beef up its enforcement of environmental cleanliness under the Johor Bersih initiative.
“The state government and all 16 local councils in the state have discussed this matter, and it is high time that we take serious action on those who disregard the environment,” he said.
“We can issue a maximum fine of RM500 on those who are caught littering, under the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974,” he added.
Mr Onn said that although the state government introduced the Johor Bersih initiative in 2022, the level of awareness among the public was still low.
“When we run programmes to clean our streets and rivers, it should be met proactively by the public. So now, besides conducting gotong royong (communal help), there will also be enforcement,” he said, adding that each state executive councillor has been given an area to monitor.
He said the Johor Bersih scheme by the state government was an “added value” initiative to the work done by waste management companies such as Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation and SWM Environment.
“We have clean-up programmes in the rural areas, rivers, and public beaches every week, which go above and beyond what we are supposed to do.
“This is supposed to be the jurisdiction of concessionaires, but I do not want to play the blame game, it is not productive,” he said, adding that the state government would also need close cooperation from the private sector, government-linked corporations and non-governmental organisations.
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