PORT DICKSON, Sept 27 — From January 1 next year, community service orders of up to 12 hours within a six-month period will be imposed on offenders involved in minor littering, said Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming.
The initiative aims to educate the public and raise awareness about environmental cleanliness, while preventing repeat offences and reducing the risk of vector-borne diseases caused by rats, flies, and mosquitoes.
The order's implementation will depend on the decision of the Magistrate’s Court and can be carried out in a single day or divided into several sessions, depending on the total hours.
“Anyone who litters from their vehicle, throws cigarette butts, tissues, plastics, drink cans, or food wrappers in public areas will be required to wear a special vest and pick up small litter in public spaces, clean drains, and wash public toilets during the stipulated period.
“This approach is not merely corrective; it carries significant humanistic value by exposing offenders directly to the consequences of their actions on the environment,” he said during the launch of Malaysia Clean-up Day (HCM) 2025, in conjunction with World Clean-up Day 2025.
Nga added that countries like South Korea, Sweden, Singapore, and Japan have successfully implemented similar approaches, demonstrating their effectiveness in educating the public, showing that Malaysians are equally capable of practising it responsibly.
On September 8, the Dewan Negara approved amendments to the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Bill 2025, allowing courts to impose community service orders in addition to fines for littering offences in public places.
Meanwhile, he said that over 100,000 participants took part in nationwide clean-up activities today, aiming to collect at least 3,000kg of used cooking oil daily in an effort to set two new records in the Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR).
The programme's objectives include increasing public awareness of cleanliness, recycling, and environmental stewardship, while encouraging nationwide participation from government, private sector, NGOs, communities, educational institutions, and individuals.
“HCM is not just a clean-up initiative; it represents the core values of Malaysia Madani, emphasising sustainability, public well-being, and social unity," he said.
HCM is an annual initiative by the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT), which designates the last Saturday of September each year as National Malaysia Clean-up Day, making it a permanent national agenda.
Nga noted that the United Nations chose KPKT as the winner of the Global Zero Waste Foundation award, a recognition of Malaysia’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
