KAMPAR: The Housing and Local Government Ministry is set to amend the Local Government Act 1976 (Act 171) to enhance the powers of local authorities against litterbugs such as sweeping streets.
Its minister, Nga Kor Ming, said the ministry's legal officers are reviewing the proposed amendments as current fines seem ineffective in preventing littering.
"We are not looking to increase fines as people seem indifferent to the current amounts of RM500 or RM1,000," said Nga.
"Instead, the ministry is working with legal officers to amend Act 171, so that litterbugs will be required to perform community service, such as sweeping streets under the hot sun."
Nga said that all local authorities, including the Kampar District Council, had been instructed not to offer discounts on fines.
He said this in response to a newspaper report highlighting the environmental impact of thousands of discarded cigarette butts on popular Malaysian beaches.
The report revealed that more than 5,000 cigarette butts could be collected from beaches like Pantai Cenang in Langkawi and Pantai Teluk Kalong in Terengganu in just an hour.
"This approach will also help reduce the cost of keeping roads and public areas clean. It's an effective way to educate the public, and I believe it will deter people from littering once implemented," he added.
He said this during the ministry's Sentuhan Kasih Kampar Parliament event.
Nga also announced an allocation of RM6.72 million for various infrastructure and socio-economic development projects in Kampar.
It includes RM210,000 for the Malaysian Housing Maintenance Fund and RM3,060,000 for Kampar District Council projects.
The funding also covers RM500,000 for landscape development in Kampar town, RM120,000 for house repair programmes, RM1,300,140 for Kampung Baru development and repair assistance, RM1,200,000 for the Rumah Mesra Rakyat programme, and RM329,700 for the maintenance of three non-Muslim places of worship.
He also visited markets in Kampar and Mambang Di Awan, and the Gurdwara Sahib Kampar.