Malaysia’s heritage state of Penang has begun using body camera footage to prosecute litterbugs, widening a national clean-up drive that could see offenders fined or ordered by a court to carry out community service.
The tougher enforcement, which took effect on Wednesday after a six-month grace period, gives patrol teams from the Penang Island City Council and Seberang Perai City Council powers to record offences at public hotspots across one of Malaysia’s best-known tourist states.
Penang local government committee chairman H’ng Mooi Lye said enforcement officers would patrol public areas, including places where small litter such as cigarette butts, tissues, plastic waste, bottles and food wrappers were often discarded.
“Do not litter, even if it is only a cigarette butt, tissue or small waste,” H’ng said in a social media post after joining Seberang Perai mayor Baderul Amin Abdul Hamid and enforcement officers during a check in Bandar Perda.
H’ng said each operation would be led by an authorised officer, with body camera footage used to ensure enforcement was carried out “transparently and professionally” while also serving as evidence.
“There will be no warnings. Once our enforcement officers obtain sufficient evidence through body camera recordings, they have the authority to issue a notice immediately,” he said separately after the statewide enforcement walkabout.