The Minor Offences Act Order, Amendment 2021 came into force as of 29th December 2021. The Order was the amendment for a number of allocations under the Minor Offences Act, Chapter 30. While sharing the matter in the Media Conference for the 'Negara Bersih, Negara Sihat, Negara Ku' or Clean Country, Healthy Country, My Country, Master Committee on Cleanliness Issues, yesterday afternoon, Awang Salminan bin Haji Burut, Permanent Secretary for Municipal and District at the Ministry of Home Affairs outlined the change in the name of the Minor Offences Act to Miscellaneous Offences Act, increasing the rate of fines and period of imprisonment for individuals produced in court and found guilty for any offences under Section 12 1 of the Minor Offences Act, Chapter 30 which is offences related to dumping of rubbish in public areas.
Awang Salminan said that any individuals committing offences under the section, if found guilty can be sentenced to a fine of not less than $1,000 and not exceeding $3,000 for the first offence and for the second and subsequent offences can be sentenced to a fine of not less than $3,000 and not exceeding nine thousand dollars, imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or both. Meanwhile, corporate bodies committing a first offence under the section can be fined not less than two thousand dollars and not exceeding $10,000.
Awang Haji Maswadi bin Haji Mohsin, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health said the issue of dumping rubbish in the country is among the important issues to be addressed, controlled and monitored together by all stakeholders. He added that in upholding efforts to improve the level of cleanliness, concerted efforts by the Master Committee on Cleanliness Issues, the Ministry of Health as the Chair of the Stakeholders' Awareness and Stewardship Action Group has coordinated 5 main initiatives namely Cleanliness Campaigns in public places, Nationwide Cleanliness Campaign, Public Awareness Campaign, No Plastic Bag Every day and Waste Collection Conceptual Design Competition.
Dayang Doctor Nor Imtihan binti Haji Abdul Razak, Permanent Secretary for Planning, Land Use and Environment at the Ministry of Development said improvement and upgrading efforts of facilities and cleaning services under the government will be implemented. Improvement of facilities and cleaning services using the latest technology such as Waste to Energy as an alternative to solid waste disposal sites; Skimmer Boats, Scavenger Boats, Workboat, Collection Barges with Conveyor Belts for the collection of 2 to 4 metric tonnes of rubbish; Floating Debris Booms for the cleaning of drainage whereby it can trap rubbish in drains and outlet drainage.
Source: Radio Television Brunei