KUALA LUMPUR: The authorities will come down hard on those who dump garbage indiscriminately in the city.

“We need to emulate other countries. The reason Singapore is clean is because of strict enforcement. We need to practise stricter enforcement here,” said Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin yesterday.

He said he had appointed his deputy, Datuk M. Saravanan, to deal with problem.

Nong Chik said this after opening Brickfield’s Gerakan Tumpuan programme at the Pantai Ria public housing scheme in Lembah Pantai.

“A special committee will be formed to monitor cleanliness throughout the city and we are looking at a special hotline for public tip-offs,” Saravanan said.

He added that he would soon be paying unannounced visits to various parts of the city to check on cleanliness.

Saravanan warned restaurant owners to keep their premises and, especially, their toilets clean.

“There will be no compromise. We will fine those who break the law,” he said.

Saravanan said the ministry was considering imposing bigger fines on those who were caught breaking the law.

“The only way to deter these offenders is to issue heftier fines.”

Source: NST