PETALING JAYA: Zero Waste Malaysia has applauded tougher littering enforcement, but warned that proposed fines of up to RM2,000 and mandatory community service could hit lower-income communities hardest if not paired with public education, better infrastructure and transparent rollout.
Its senior programme and communications officer Tasha Sabapathy said penalties alone would not solve Malaysia’s chronic littering problem, especially in areas where basic waste management is still patchy.
“There should be ongoing campaigns that involve inclusive communication to communities regarding the policy so that people understand the reasons behind it,” she said, adding that enforcement must provide space for public feedback.
“If the frequency of trash collection is low in a rural kampung, slapping a fine would not solve the issue. It would only add to the burden of communities already struggling with access.”
However, data gathered by Zero Waste Malaysia suggests that public support for environmentally friendly policies is growing, provided solutions remain practical and affordable.
According to its 2025 stakeholder survey involving 625 respondents, 90% said they support policies that enforce zero-waste practices.
While the survey did not focus specifically on littering, it identified significant structural barriers to sustainable behaviour.
She said the top three challenges faced by respondents when attempting to recycle were uncertainty over what can be recycled, the complexity or tediousness of recycling processes, and difficulty finding drop-off points.
“Accessibility and convenience appear to be the main issues.”
She added that addressing littering requires a shift towards waste reduction rather than simply increasing the number of bins.
“Improperly designed bins, especially uncovered ones in outdoor spaces, often worsen the problem as animals rummage through waste, causing it to spill.”
Tasha also raised concerns about the lack of updated public data on waste generation and major polluters, noting that transparency is critical to fair and effective enforcement.
“We need data on who the biggest contributors to waste are, including companies responsible for excessive packaging, especially with extended producer responsibility policies coming up.
“Without this information, consumers do not understand the scale of the problem or how urgent it has become.”
She warned that strict penalties without parallel systemic changes could simply shift littering away from monitored areas into rural locations or spaces without surveillance.
“If enforcement is purely punitive, people may just litter where there are no camera traps,” she said.
“We need alternative systems that reduce waste generation altogether.”
She suggested refill and reuse services, composting facilities, repair hubs and deposit-return schemes.
Tasha cited examples such as mobile refill services that bring package-free shopping to neighbourhoods, as well as international models.
“In France, restaurants with seating capacities of more than 20 people are required to use reusable tableware for dine-in customers.”
Closer to home, she urged food and beverage outlets to get on board with bring-your-own-container schemes and ditch single-use disposables for dine-in customers, adding that fast-moving consumer goods companies should step up with reusable or returnable packaging solutions.
She also called on the government to clearly disclose how revenue from littering fines will be used.
Ultimately, she said success should not be judged by how many people get fined, but by real drops in waste and a genuine shift in public behaviour.
