An Indonesian woman is fined RM500 and ordered to do community service for littering cigarette butts and bottles in a landmark case under a 2007 law.
JOHOR BAHRU: An Indonesian woman has been fined RM500 and ordered to perform community service after pleading guilty to littering in a public area.
Anita Lukman, 49, admitted to discarding cigarette butts and drink bottles at Jalan Ibrahim Sultan, Stulang Laut, in the early hours of New Year’s Day.
She was charged under Section 77A of the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007, in what is reported as the first case of its kind in Malaysia.
The law provides for a maximum fine of RM2,000 and a community service order not exceeding 12 hours within six months.
In mitigation, the single mother of two requested a lighter sentence, explaining she was in Malaysia only to help a friend.
Judge Nor Aziati Jaafar sentenced her to a RM500 fine, in default 15 days’ jail, and six hours of community service.
Failure to complete the service could lead to an additional fine of between RM2,000 and RM10,000.
In a separate proceeding, a 28-year-old Bangladeshi man was also charged with littering cigarette butts at the same location on the same date.
Sultan MD requested that proceedings be conducted in the Bangladesh language as he does not understand Malay.
The court fixed January 28 for re-mention of his case.
