KOTA KINABALU:
A total of 55 persons, including tourists from Brunei and China, were compounded RM1O each by the City Hall’s enforcement personnel yesterday for littering. All the 55 comprising men and women were compounded on the spot during ‘Ops Kutu Sampah’ conducted along the Gaya Street Sunday Market here when the enforcement unit saw them littering. The operation which stated from 8am until 1pm, involved 46 enforcement staff and several volunteers wearing plainclothes, according to Assistant Enforcement Officer Mohd Amir Izat Romeo b Abdullah who led the operation. “Most of them were found littering paper-cups and cigarette butts,” Amir said, adding that apart from the tourists from Brunei and China, also compounded were visitors from Peninsular Malaysia. The ‘Ops Kutu Sampah’ was held in conjunction with the City Hall’s big scale anti-littering campaign to make Kota Kinabalu a litter-free city. To a question, Amir said a person who was found littering could be actually compounded up to RM500 under Section 3(a) of the Anti-Litter By-law 2005. He said the RM10 compound would be imposed within the period of the anti-littering campaign. “After this campaign, the minimum compound imposed on those found littering is RM50,” Amir said. Asking on the reaction of the 55 persons when they were compounded, Amir said, “Some of them were shocked and the others refused to pay the compound”. “However, when we introduced ourselves by showing our authority cards and explained to them our ongoing campaign, they were willing to pay the compound,” he added. Amir also said the “Ops Kutu Sampah” would be conducted daily. Meanwhile, a man welcomed the move by the City Hall to compound the litterbugs. “I agree with the move carried by the City Hall to compound those found littering. It can teach them and other people a lesson not to simply throw rubbish,” said the man in his 40s.
