They were also issued community service orders, Malaysian Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said as quoted by The Star newspaper.

He added that all offenders would be charged in court soon.

During a nationwide crackdown carried out on Jan. 1 and 2, a total of 120 offenders were apprehended, comprising 86 locals and 34 foreigners, AsiaOne reported.

Under new regulations that came into effect on Jan 1, individuals taken to court for littering or spitting face a fine of RM2,000 and a community service order of up to 12 hours.

The measures are part of efforts to protect Malaysia’s tourism image, particularly among foreign visitors.

Enforcement covers tourist destinations including Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perlis and Kedah, as well as the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

Malaysia recently launched its Visit Malaysia 2026 tourism campaign with a series of events aimed at attracting 47 million visitors this year.

The number of tourists to Malaysia was estimated to have exceeded 40 million last year, according to HSBC Global Research.

The government has urged Malaysians to help ensure the country remains clean and attractive, calling on the public to act as tourism ambassadors by keeping public spaces clean, ensuring fair pricing by traders and treating visitors politely.