KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 — A Singaporean man was fined RM1,500 by the Sessions Court here today after he pleaded guilty to discarding a cigarette butt in a public place early last month.

Judge Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin imposed the sentence on Mohamed Nuh Qursaini Kayat, 25, and ordered him to serve one month in jail in default of payment.

He was also ordered to perform four hours of community service within one month.

He was accused of improperly disposing of solid waste, namely a cigarette butt, in a public space instead of in a designated receptacle, near a convenience store along Jalan Bukit Bintang here at 1.45 am on January 1, 2026.

The charge was framed under Section 77A(1) of the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007, which provides for a maximum fine of RM2,000 and, in addition, a community service order of up to 12 hours in total within a maximum period of six months. 

Earlier, Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) prosecuting officer Muhammad Syarihul Mohd Dzahir urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence as a deterrent to the accused and the public, stressing the importance of maintaining cleanliness in public areas.

Mohamed Nuh Qursaini, who was unrepresented, pleaded for leniency, saying there was no rubbish bin nearby and that he threw it on the ground because there were already cigarette butts there. 

Speaking to the media after the proceedings, SWCorp chief executive officer Khalid Mohamed said that, to date, six foreign nationals had been charged in court for littering offences, including the disposal of cigarette butts. 

“So far, 644 cases involving littering offences have been recorded under the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007, of which 500 involve Malaysian citizens. More individuals will be charged in court on February 10, 11 and 12,” he said.

In a recent Dewan Rakyat sitting, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said that all offenders convicted of littering would carry out their Community Service Orders simultaneously on February 13.

He said the offenders would be required to clean drains, sweep streets and wash public toilets, following their convictions. — Bernama