Two Singaporean men have become the first Singaporeans ordered to carry out community service in Malaysia after being convicted of littering in Johor Bahru.
The pair, both aged 38, were among 20 offenders participating in a mandatory community cleaning exercise on Apr. 30 at Jalan Pulai Bestari 7 Recreational Park in Skudai.
According to Malaysian reports, the session started at around 9am and lasted for about two hours under the supervision of enforcement officers from the Johor Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation, also known as SWCorp.
Cigarette Butts Thrown Outside KSL City Mall
The two men, Edmund Lim Hu Shen and Tan Boon Haw, were previously fined RM1,000 each, approximately S$323, after admitting to littering in a public area.
The offence involved throwing cigarette butts on the ground near the entrance of KSL City Mall instead of disposing of them properly in a rubbish bin.
The incident reportedly took place on Jan. 3 at about 11am.
Both men were sentenced by the Malaysian court on Apr. 7 and were additionally ordered to complete six hours of community service under Malaysia’s public cleanliness enforcement laws.
During the latest cleaning session, the offenders were seen sweeping dead leaves and clearing public areas around the park.
Remaining Community Service Must Be Completed Within 6 Months
Authorities stated that the remaining hours of the community service order must be completed within six months in accordance with the court’s directive.
The wider enforcement exercise involved offenders aged between 19 and 63 from multiple nationalities, including Malaysians, Singaporeans, a Nepali national and a Bangladeshi national.
Most offences reportedly involved small-item littering in public places, such as discarded cigarette butts, plastic waste and beverage cans.
Malaysia has recently intensified its anti-littering enforcement efforts in Johor, particularly in areas frequently visited by foreign travellers and tourists from Singapore.
Hundreds Of Foreigners Issued Littering Notices In Johor
According to enforcement statistics released by Malaysian authorities, Johor has issued 822 notices for littering-related offences so far.
Of these, 457 were issued to Malaysians while 365 involved foreigners.
Reports also indicated that 17 Singaporeans have received notices for similar offences.
A total of 26 littering cases have already been prosecuted in court, resulting in combined fines amounting to RM21,300, or around S$6,879.
Community service orders handed down by Malaysian courts reportedly ranged from two to 10 hours depending on the severity of the offence.
The case has drawn attention online as more Singaporeans travel frequently across the Causeway for shopping, dining and leisure activities in Johor Bahru.