JOHOR BARU: Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI) will be used to catch litterbugs in the Greater Johor Baru area.
Johor housing and local government committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor said three out of the four local councils within the Greater Johor Baru area have been equipped with such smart CCTV systems.
“We have noticed that having these AI CCTVs has helped fight crime. Now we are looking at using this technology to keep our streets clean.
“These CCTVs give us clear images that can be magnified to capture the faces of litterbugs and the type of garbage these individuals are throwing,” he said.
Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) has about 500 such CCTVs already installed within its jurisdiction while Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) has 100 and Kulai Municipal Council (MPKu) 92.
“By next year, Pasir Gudang City Council (MBPG) will be installing 300 AI-enhanced CCTVs,” Mohd Jafni said.
He added that the same technology was being used by the police in the Johor Baru Integrated Operation Command Centre, which is under MBJB.
“Hopefully these AI CCTVs will prevent the public from littering indiscriminately and persuade them to use the garbage bins that have been provided,” he said.
On a related matter, Mohd Jafni said the state government would continue with its Johor Bersih (Clean Johor) programme for a third year in 2025.
“Following the change of the state’s rest days from Friday and Saturday to Saturday and Sunday, we be changing the days of the Johor Bersih programme.
“Starting Jan 1, 2025, the Johor Bersih programme will be held on Mondays involving all 16 local councils throughout the state.”
Johor Bersih, a state government initiative since July 2022, sees local councils and NGOs coming together once a week to pick up litter in their neighbourhoods.
From January to November this year, more than 170 tonnes of garbage was collected through Johor Bersih events while cumulatively, more than 595 tonnes of garbage have been collected in the past three years.
Mohd Jafni said there has been greater awareness among the public on keeping the environment clean since the Johor Bersih programme was initiated.
“In 2025, we are looking at widening the programme where not only local councils are involved but also federal and state government agencies.
“Besides such agencies, we are also encouraging developers to be part of the Johor Bersih programme as it is everyone’s responsibility to keep Johor clean.”
