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JOHOR BAHRU: Those who skip mandatory community service for littering in Johor could face harsher penalties, the state arm of Malaysia’s government agency SWCorp (Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation) told CNA on Thursday (Jan 8).
The heavier punishments would also apply to foreigners, including Singaporeans.
The mandatory community service is part of stricter punishments for such offences which kicked in this year in many parts of Peninsular Malaysia.
Johor SWCorp said that the offenders may be fined up to RM2,000 (US$493) and be subjected to a mandatory community service order for a period of not more than six months, with a maximum of 12 hours of work.
“Any non-compliance with the community service order will result in more severe penalties, including a maximum fine of up to RM10,000 upon conviction,” it added.
A worker cleans litter near a mall in the city centre of Johor Bahru on Jan 8, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Zamzahuri Abas)
In response to queries from CNA on procedures for foreigners who were nabbed, Johor SWCorp said that any individual - including Singaporeans and other foreign nationals - who are issued offence notices for littering will be given a court appointment date before they are sentenced.
“It should be noted that the fact that offenders are not barred from leaving or entering Malaysia at the initial stage does not mean that the case has been closed. Offenders will receive an official notice to appear in court to face charges in accordance with established legal procedures,” it added.
CNA has reached out to SWCorp to check if the same rules apply to foreigners in other parts of Malaysia.
The mandatory community service orders are under amendments to the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672) which metes out stricter punishments for minor littering offences since Jan 1.
The amendments were passed by Malaysia’s House of Representatives, the Dewan Rakyat, and tabled in the upper house of parliament last year.
The stricter punishments cover Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perlis and Kedah, as well as the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
Johor SWCorp also confirmed that between Jan 1 and Jan 8, it has launched operations across 37 locations in the southern state, and issued a total of 39 offence notices.
It outlined that of this number, 22 were foreigners, of whom three were Singapore citizens.
“SWCorp emphasised that no compromise will be given to any individual who violates the regulations. Court prosecution action will be taken against anyone — whether local or foreign nationals, including Singapore citizens,” the agency told CNA.
A woman walks past an overflowing rubbish bin in Johor Bahru city centre on Jan 8, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Zamzahuri Abas)
Earlier this week, Malaysia’s Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said that government agencies have been instructed to take firm action against litterbugs, warning that heavier penalties await offenders.
“They thought they could do it (litter in public); now they cannot. We want Singapore to be clean, Malaysia to be even cleaner,” news agency Bernama quoted Nga as saying.
He added that in operations carried out on Jan 1 and Jan 2 across the country under SWCorp’s Ops Cegah, 120 offenders were nabbed, comprising 86 Malaysians and 34 foreigners.
The issue of littering made national headlines recently after photos and videos of rubbish discarded irresponsibly in Kuala Lumpur’s Bukit Bintang area following New Year celebrations went viral.
However, Nga maintained that enforcement has yielded results, pointing out how after a lighting event to commemorate the start of the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign on Jan 3, also in Bukit Bintang, the area remained clean despite a large turnout.
