KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government has proposed a hefty maximum compound fine of RM500 for any litterbug caught red-handed in any public place.
State Tourism, Culture and Environment minister Datuk Christina Liew said the ministry would fully support Kota Kinabalu City Hall's (DBKK) full enforcement of the Anti-Litter By-Laws 1984 (Amendment 2005).
The law will empower DBKK to issue compound fines of up to RM500 and take court action against litterbugs.
She was commenting on DBKK's criticism of public apathy after it was forced to collect a whopping 200 kilogrammes of rubbish irresponsibly strewn across public areas of the city during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri holiday.
"Why not seriously consider making a compound fine of RM500 mandatory on the spot to put potential offenders at bay?
"As it stands now, a littering offender may be asked to pay a compound fine of not exceeding RM500 under Section 9 of the Anti-Litter By-Laws.
"My understanding is that the sum is usually very much below RM500, and could be as little as RM30. This will definitely not act as a deterrent.
"Do execute the power of arrest and drag the litterbugs to court to be convicted of littering and subjected to community work (depending on the type of littering)," she said in a statement.
Liew also said Sabah should learn from Singapore's penalties for littering offences under its Environmental Public Health Act (EPHA).
She said the fine in Singapore for the first offence upon conviction has since been doubled from $1,000 to $2,000.
For the second conviction, the fine is up to $4,000.
She lauded DBKK's immediate action to clean up the mess while calling on the authorities to place more rubbish bins in public areas frequented by residents and visitors.
Liew's Api-Api People's Service Centre will do its bit to keep the city clean in complementing DBKK's anti-littering enforcement efforts.
"In view of public interest, I have instructed the Centre to initiate a cleanliness campaign soon to promote awareness of environmental public health, and to educate people on the importance of living in a clean environment," she said.
Liew also said that schools can also play an effective role by inculcating in students a sense of responsibility towards maintaining public cleanliness, apart from keeping their school environment clean.
