Penang seeks to impose heftier fines for illegal waste dumping
Penang is looking into ways to mete out heftier fines on offenders of illegal waste dumping as the current punishment is unsatisfactory and failed to deter a repeat of the offence.
Executive councillor for local government Jagdeep Singh Deo said the state cannot appeal for heavier fines under the current laws...
Penang is looking into ways to mete out heftier fines on offenders of illegal waste dumping as the current punishment is unsatisfactory and failed to deter a repeat of the offence.
Executive councillor for local government Jagdeep Singh Deo (above) said the state cannot appeal for heavier fines under the current laws.
"We have suggested for amendments to reflect the present times especially with transboundary illegal waste dumping in our midst. There are many legal provisions that are outdated and archaic," he told Malaysiakini.
Jagdeep expressed dissatisfaction with the puny fines against a landowner in Bukit Mertajam, who was caught using his oil palm land as an illegal dump site.
"It's just a slap on the wrists. The fine is insufficient punishment compared to the gravity of the offence. There are many other laws with heavier penalties, and we must try to apply them to such cases."
To make his point, Jagdeep cited the Local Government Act 1976, Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 and the Environment Quality Act 1974 which had penalties from RM50,000 to RM500,000 for offences committed.
"We have summoned top legal officers in the state, including those from the police and prosecutor’s office, to discuss how to proffer heavier charges against offenders," he added.
Landowner charged again
On June 20, the landowner was slapped with a mere RM2,000 fine after he pleaded guilty at the Magistrate’s Court in George Town to a charge under the Collection, Dumping and Disposal of Waste Bylaw (MPSP) 1994.
He was charged again today under a different municipal bylaw, involving mosquito breeding.
The offender, H'ng Boon Chai, 65, was charged under Section 82(1) of the Local Government Act with committing the offence at 11.45am on March 20.
Magistrate Shamsol Azwa Martadza ordered him to pay a fine of RM1,000 fine and to clear the 20ha plot at Mukim 16, Bukit Teh, in 14 days.
H'ng was also ordered to submit evidence of the clearing to the Seberang Perai Municipal Council.
Siti Rahmah Md Yusoff from council prosecuted, while H'ng was represented by lawyer Francis Goh.
Earlier at a press conference in Bukit Gelugor, Jagdeep claimed that illegal waste dumping in Penang has shown a "drastic increase" since early this year.
He revealed that so far, there were 12 illegal dumping cases in Penang compared with only eight cases between 2014 and 2018.
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