Three Men Fined, Ordered To Do Community Service For Littering Cigarette Butts In Melaka
MELAKA, April 8 (Bernama) -- Three men were fined between RM500 and RM700 and ordered to perform community service by the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court, here, after pleading guilty to littering in public places.
The case is the first prosecution in Melaka under Section 77A of the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672).
Mohamad Faez Sahli, 28, Yeo Hong Huat, 57, and K. Danesh, 29, made the plea after the charges were read out before Judge Raja Noor Adilla Raja Mahyaldin.
According to the charge, all three were accused of disposing of solid waste - namely cigarette butts - in public places, instead of in designated bins.
The offence was committed by Mohamad Faez at Taman Bandar Bestari, Jasin, on Jan 8 at about 11 am; while Yeo committed the offence at Taman Mutiara Melaka in Batu Berendam, on Jan 23 at about 10 am.
Danesh, who works at a factory in Pahang, was found to have committed the offence at Pantai Klebang, on Jan 1 at 3 pm.
The charge was brought under Subsection 77A(1) of Act 672, which carries a maximum fine of RM2,000, and may include a community service order not exceeding 12 hours in total within a period of no more than six months, as stipulated by the court.
In mitigation, all the accused, who were unrepresented, pleaded for leniency on the grounds that they have dependents, had only recently secured employment, and due to health factors.
However, Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) prosecuting officers Dewira Sheera Norman, Abd Hadi Abd Wahab, and Muhammad Syarihul Mohd Dzahir each proposed an appropriate sentence in the form of rehabilitation for the accused as well as a lesson to the public.
The court imposed a RM500 fine on Mohamad Faez and Danesh and ordered them to perform 12 hours of community service, while Yeo was fined RM700 with 10 hours of community service. All accused are required to complete the community service within six months.
-- BERNAMA
