He said today that those who dirtied rivers in the state should pay at least 10 times more than the current RM500 fine for littering.
“People who throw rubbish into rivers in Penang should pay at least 10 times more than the current fine.
“We will study if we can increase the fine to punish those who regard rivers as places to throw rubbish,” he said at the opening of a flood mitigation project in Jalan Transfer and Jalan Hutton here.
The project to upgrade the drainage system to prevent flash floods, costing nearly RM5.87 million, was completed last month.
Lim said the upgrade involved installing huge sewers measuring 4.8m and 6m, pedestrian walkways, roadworks and the relocation of utility facilities.
In view of the huge amount of money spent, Lim said the fine for throwing rubbish into rivers and drains — thoughtless acts that contribute to flash floods — should be higher.
Penang Island City Council Mayor Patahiyah Ismail said the chief minister’s suggestion to increase the fine would be studied.
“We will consult our legal adviser on whether this can be done by the local government,” she said.
This year, the Penang government approved RM59 million for flood mitigation projects statewide.
For next year, the state, local councils and the Penang Water Supply Corporation are spending RM220 million on flood mitigation projects.