Cigarette butts remain top contributor to littering offences - SWCorp

MELAKA - Littering of cigarette butts remains the top offence under the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672), accounting for more than 1,700 of the 2,154 Notices of Offence (NPK) issued, as of April 7.

Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) chief executive officer Khalid Mohamed said the statistics reflect that the level of awareness among smokers regarding public cleanliness is still unsatisfactory.

"Out of the total number of cases, the offence of littering of cigarette butts continues to record the highest number, indicating that a careless attitude towards public cleanliness still persists.

"This shows that awareness of cleanliness, particularly among smokers, can still be improved,” he told reporters after proceedings at the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court, here, today.

During the proceedings, three local men were fined, after pleading guilty to littering cigarette butts in public places. Each was fined between RM500 and RM700 and ordered to perform between 10 and 12 hours of community service within six months.

He said that littering of cigarette butts, though often seen as minor, has a significant impact on environmental cleanliness and the country’s image.

"This act not only pollutes public areas, but also reflects a level of public discipline which still needs improvement,” he said.

Elaborating further, Khalid said the excuse of the absence of rubbish bins is no longer relevant, as their observations found that such facilities are usually located near where the offences are committed.

"In some cases, rubbish bins are within two to three metres of the offenders, yet they still choose to discard cigarette butts indiscriminately,” he said.

He added that the increase in proactive enforcement operations has also contributed to the rise in cases, including a notable surge in the first week of April, compared with the same period in the previous month.

"SWCorp will continue to intensify monitoring and enforcement operations to curb such offences, especially in public hotspots.

"At the same time, the public is urged to play a role, by reporting offences related to the disposal of cigarette butts to the authorities, to ensure that appropriate action can be taken,” he said. - BERNAMA