JOHOR BAHRU: An Indonesian woman and a Bangladeshi factory worker have become the first to be sentenced under Malaysia’s new anti-littering law.
Anita Lukman, 49, pleaded guilty at the Sessions Court in Johor Bahru on Friday (Jan 23) for throwing a cigarette butt and a plastic bottle onto the pavement in Stulang Laut.
She had committed the offence at Jalan Ibrahim Sultan at 12.41am on Jan 1, Malaysian news outlet New Straits Times reported.
Anita was fined RM500 (US$125) and ordered to perform six hours of community service, which must be carried out in two-hour shifts per day and completed within six months.
The court ordered Anita to serve 15 days in jail if she failed to pay the fine. Additionally, she may face a further fine of between RM2,000 and RM10,000 if she fails to complete the community service order.
The mandatory community service is part of stricter punishments for such offences, which kicked in this year in many parts of Peninsular Malaysia.
On top of fines of up to RM2,000, litterbugs may now also be sentenced to community service for a period of not more than six months, with a maximum of 12 hours of work under the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672).
Anita, who was unrepresented, pleaded for leniency, saying that she is a single mother supporting two children aged eight and 15.
Malaysian news outlet The Star reported that Anita said she was only helping her friend with odd jobs, and her children risk skipping school if she does not send enough money home.
“I admit I was wrong and will not repeat it. I will do the community service, but I ask for the lightest fine as I cannot afford it. I am only here to help a friend,” she said, as quoted by the New Straits Times.
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