PUTRAJAYA, March 3 — More than 1,000 individuals nationwide have been arrested and subjected to Community Service Orders (CSO) for littering in public places since the beginning of the year.
Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said the enforcement of Community Service Orders under the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act 2007 (Act 672) has proven effective in improving public cleanliness.
“We will implement community service sentences in phases. I can see a significant positive impact on public cleanliness, and we are grateful for that, especially as we prepare for Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026),” he said.
Nga was speaking to reporters after attending the Ihya Ramadan — Islah Madani: Memurni Jiwa Membangun Ummah programme with staff of the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT), which was also attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim here today.
Also present were Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, Public Service director-general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz and Treasury secretary-general Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican.
Community Service Orders under Act 672 are being enforced as a punitive measure to address minor littering offences in public areas.
KPKT announced that the implementation currently covers Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perlis and Kedah, as well as the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
For Penang, Selangor, Kelantan and Terengganu, which have not adopted Act 672, enforcement will begin once approval is obtained from the respective state authorities.
On plans to establish a single national public cleansing entity, Nga said KPKT is also introducing broader reforms, including night-time cleaning operations and the gradual conversion of garbage trucks to electric vehicles (EVs). — Bernama