JOHOR BAHRU: An Indonesian woman has become the first foreign national in Malaysia to be fined and ordered by the court to perform community service for the offence of disposing of solid waste, namely cigarette butts and drink bottles, in a public place instead of in the bins provided.
Anita Lukman, 49, who pleaded guilty at the Sessions Court here today, was fined RM500 and ordered to perform six hours of community service, at a rate of two hours per day, to be completed within a period not exceeding six months.
Judge Nor Aziati Jaafar ordered that the offender be jailed for 15 days if she failed to pay the fine, and face an additional fine of between RM2,000 and RM10,000 if she failed to comply with the community service order.
According to the charge sheet, the offender was accused of disposing of solid waste, namely cigarette butts and drink bottles, in a public place and not in the designated containers provided for such waste.
The offence was alleged to have taken place at Jalan Ibrahim Sultan, Stulang Laut, here, at 12.41am on 1 January.
The prosecution was brought under Section 77A(1) of the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672), with an additional provision allowing the court to impose a community service order under subsection 77B(1) of the same Act.
The section provides for a fine of up to RM2,000 and, in addition, a community service order of up to 12 hours upon conviction.
Unrepresented by legal counsel, the offender appealed for a lighter fine, stating that as a single mother she had two dependants aged eight and 15.
“I admit that I was wrong and I will not repeat the offence. Please give me the punishment of community service, I will do it, but I ask for the lightest fine because I cannot afford it. I came here to Malaysia only to help a friend,” she said.
Prosecuting officer from the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp), Siti Adora Rahtimin, asked the court to impose a proportionate fine as a deterrent and a community service order as a form of rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, in separate proceedings, a Bangladeshi factory worker, Sultan Md, 28, was also brought before the court for the same offence of discarding a cigarette butt at 1.27am at the same location and on the same day.
However, the charge against him will be read again on 28 January after the offender requested the assistance of a Bangladeshi interpreter.
– By Izz Laily Hussein
