The Cabinet has approved a proposal from the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) to introduce community service penalties for littering offenses through amendments to existing laws.
Speaking at a press conference after the KPKT Media Excellence Awards 2024 on Friday (Nov 29), Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming emphasised the importance of this initiative, noting that indiscriminate littering remains a persistent issue despite Malaysia's progress toward becoming a developed nation.
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Speaking at a press conference after the KPKT Media Excellence Awards 2024 on Friday (Nov 29), Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming emphasised the importance of this initiative, noting that indiscriminate littering remains a persistent issue despite Malaysia's progress toward becoming a developed nation.
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NewsTranscript
00:00This morning, we have a meeting of the Ministerial Assembly, where today I have a purpose,
00:05apart from tonight, apart from the meeting, which aims to give appreciation and recognition to the media
00:15who have presented quality news about the initiatives and products of the KPKT's Worship Service
00:23throughout the year, this past year.
00:26I would like to take this opportunity to announce the decision of the Ministerial Assembly today,
00:34where the Ministerial Assembly has unanimously agreed with the KPKT's proposal
00:40to implement the Public Service Punishment for the misuse of small waste through the transfer of three acts.
00:49For your information, the KPKT has presented the Ministerial Assembly Memorandum this morning,
00:57and the Cabinet has unanimously agreed to transfer three acts.
01:03The first is the Act on Management of Public Waste and Public Cleaning in 2007,
01:10also known as Act 672.
01:13The second is the Act on Roadways, Railways and Buildings in 1974, known as Act 133.
01:20And lastly, the Act on Local Government in 1976 or Act 171,
01:27where I have proposed to amend the law to introduce the Public Service Punishment
01:34in the first hearing in 2025.
01:39The reason for this is because the issue of small waste disposal is still a concern.
01:46Although Malaysia has achieved a lot of progress in trying to reach the status of a developed country,
01:52the responsibility of cleaning is fully placed on the government,
01:57this is no longer sufficient.
02:01Therefore, the management of the punishment by the local authorities
02:04is no longer an obstacle or deterrent to the perpetrator
02:08in order not to repeat the practice of disposing of small waste.
02:12At present, the enforcement of waste disposal is still being carried out by the PBT
02:18through the source of power under Act 133.
02:22In addition, the PBT also has power regarding the enforcement of waste disposal
02:29under Act 171 through the implementation of the Law of Small Waste.
02:33However, it has been proven that it does not involve public service punishment
02:38and is no longer sufficient to ensure that Malaysia is always clean, green and sustainable.
02:44Therefore, in general, the act of disposing of small waste
02:48not only can affect the image of the country,
02:51but what is worse is that it has a negative effect on the environment
02:55and aggravates the spread of infectious diseases
03:00such as dengue fever, malaria and rat fever.
03:05In fact, the disposal of waste into the sewer has been identified as one of the main sources of sewage in the city area.
03:15Therefore, in order to tighten and strengthen the enforcement measures,
03:20a form of public service punishment will be imposed on the perpetrator
03:25who is accused of disposing of small waste,
03:29especially for repeated offenders.
03:31The objective of this punishment will be to provide awareness and awareness to the perpetrator,
03:37second, to prevent the perpetrator from repeating the mistake,
03:41third, to educate the perpetrator so that they are aware of the cleanliness of the environment,
03:46and fourth, to reduce the effects of environmental pollution and the risk of vector-borne diseases.
03:53Along with the desire to make Malaysia a clean country,
03:57the KPKT suggested that the responsibility for the formation of small waste disposal activities
04:02by the PPT must be appointed by the coalition government.
04:08Therefore, in order to establish a clear source of power to the coalition government
04:13to oversee all small waste disposal activities and implement public service punishment,
04:20Article 672 must be amended
04:23and its enforcement will cover the countries that have adopted the article.
04:29Meanwhile, for other countries that have not yet adopted Article 672,
04:35Article 171 will be amended to establish a source of power to the PPT
04:42to implement public service punishment.
04:44Article 133 will also be amended to establish a source of power
04:49to implement public service punishment by the PPT throughout the country.
04:55Activities that will be carried out under the Public Service Programme
04:59are a return of debt to the environment
05:03or is actually a payback to the environment
05:07that can provide benefits and then support the government's desire
05:11to create a cleaner, more beautiful and more prosperous country.
05:15I suggest that now that we have obtained the approval from the Ministerial Committee,
05:21we will prepare a draft law.
05:24Actually, the draft law is almost ready
05:26to be submitted to the people
05:30at the session that will be held in March 2025.
05:36After this, whoever is found guilty of waste disposal or we call it waste disposal,
05:43will be invited to help wash the streets,
05:47wash the sidewalks,
05:49wash the roads
05:50with a special uniform that will be distributed for free.
05:59The addition of CCTV cameras will definitely be added,
06:05especially next year.
06:07It is well known that the KPKT has managed to allocate
06:11RM15 million for the Smart City Programme.
06:14Among the Smart City Components,
06:17it is included in the Safe City Programme,
06:19which is the installation of CCTV cameras in strategic locations.
06:23We want to make sure that everyone will be monitored,
06:28not only to catch criminals or waste disposal,
06:32but more importantly, to ensure the safety of the citizens.
06:36Because there are CCTV cameras with HD version,
06:39there will be a decrease in the number of thefts and robberies.
06:45The crime has been found to be ineffective.
06:48In the past, there was a small crime,
06:52there was a small law that only imposed RM100.
06:55There was a PBT that imposed RM300.
06:58There was also RM500.
07:00But there are still more.
07:02There are still more irresponsible people who like to throw garbage.
07:07This bad habit should not exist anymore,
07:11especially in our country.
07:13Next year, we will celebrate the 70th anniversary of independence.
07:18Now we have compulsory education.
07:20It means that every Malaysian citizen must go to school
07:24and sit on the school bench for at least 12 years.
07:27After 12 years in school,
07:29they will not know that the garbage must be put in the garbage bin,
07:33not thrown on the street,
07:35not thrown out of a car,
07:38not thrown into a hole until a flash flood occurs.
07:43This is the wisdom of the people,
07:45the rule of the people has been proven to be effective.
07:49It has been implemented in several developed countries.
07:52We have not gone far.
07:54Our neighbouring country, Singapore, is enough.
07:58Since the 1990s,
08:00they have been implementing the rule of the people for 30 years.
08:05No one dares to throw garbage in Singapore
08:08because they know that the punishment will be meted out
08:12along with the wrongdoings.
08:15Scandinavian countries are another example.
08:17If you go to Sweden, Norway, all these.
08:20It is not my fault, even the Philippines has the rule of the people.
08:26If my memory serves me correct.