Penang begins enforcing community service orders against litterbugs

BUKIT MERTAJAM, July 1 — Penang has begun enforcing Community Service Order (CSO) against individuals caught littering, as part of efforts to strengthen public cleanliness across the state.

State Local Government and Town and Country Planning Committee chairman H’ng Mooi Lye said the enforcement took effect today under the Local Government (Amendment) Act 2025 and the Street, Drainage and Building (Amendment) Act 2025, which were gazetted on November 12 last year.

Under the new enforcement regime, offenders will no longer receive warnings. Instead, immediate action will be taken against anyone found throwing, depositing, discarding or leaving litter in public places or on public roads.

“We have enforcement teams patrolling littering hotspots, and they are equipped with body cameras to record video and photographic evidence for enforcement purposes. 

“If the offence can be proven, a notice will be issued requiring the offender to appear in court. Upon conviction, they may be fined up to RM2,000, ordered to perform up to 12 hours of community service, or both,” he told reporters after inspecting the implementation of the order and distributing information leaflets to traders and the public with Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) Mayor Datuk Baderul Amin Abdul Hamid in Bandar Perda today.

H’ng said MBSP has equipped its investigating officers with 26 body cameras, while 119 locations across Seberang Perai have been approved for offenders to carry out community service if ordered by the court.

Among the offences covered under the CSO are discarding cigarette butts, tissues, plastic waste, bottles and food packaging in public areas, dumping rubbish into drains, leaving litter in parks, beaches and recreational areas, throwing rubbish from vehicles, and abandoning food waste or rubbish after trading at night markets, food courts and hawker centres.

H’ng said the enforcement applies to everyone, including domestic visitors, tourists and foreign nationals. For offences involving minors, legal responsibility will rest with their parents or guardians in accordance with the law.

He added that implementation of the CSO had proceeded smoothly as of this morning and expressed hope that the public would comply with the law and play their part in keeping Penang clean. — Bernama