James Kon
Seven companies and three individuals were slapped with BND3,300 compound fines by the Law Enforcement Division of Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB) Municipal Department during a recent operation to nab those violating Section 12, Chapter 30 of the Miscellaneous Offences Act (Amendment) 2021 of disposing rubbish in public areas and walkways.
According to the department, the operation involved the Environmental Health Division under the Ministry of Health, Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation (JASTRe) under the Ministry of Development, the Fire and Rescue Department (FRD) and Authority for Building Control and Construction Industry (ABCi) and it targetted Kampong Telanai, Kampong Bunut and Gadong.
Twelve abandoned vehicles were also identified and towed away under the National Abandoned Vehicles Project.
The FRD found a building in Kampong Telanai that had failed to comply with the Fire Safety Act and Building Guideline Requirements 2022 (BGR).
Meanwhile, the Environmental Health Division discovered two buildings in Kampong Telanai that posed a danger of pollution to the environment and potentially become a breeding ground for vector borne diseases.
Offenders are ordered to settle their fines at the Finance Division on the third floor of the BSB Municipal Department within seven days.
Individuals can be subjected to a compound fine of no more than BND1,000 while for corporate bodies, it is no more than BND2,000.
Failure to settle the fine will result in the case being brought to court.
An individual found guilty will face a fine between BND1,000 and BND3,000 for the first offence, between BND3,000 and BND9,000, imprisonment of no more than six months, or both, for subsequent offences.
A company found guilty will face a fine between BND2,000 and BND10,000 for the first offence, and between BND10,000 and BND30,000, imprisonment of no more than 12 months, or both, for subsequent offences.
The municipal department also reminded the public and corporate bodies to maintain cleanliness and refrain from disposing rubbish in public spaces or walkways of buildings.
