THE state government will confiscate private land used as illegal dumpsites in the state, effective next year.

Johor Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Ayub Jamil said action would be taken against landowners who repeatedly ignore warnings by the authorities.

He said 189 illegal dumpsites had been identified in the Johor Bahru and Iskandar Puteri districts this year alone, with 88 of them found to be owned by repeat offenders.

“Fines (have been issued) and court trials have been conducted. But if the city council and the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) have given advice and such cases continue to occur, with having a long-term impact on the environment, then action to confiscate the land can be taken, as (stated) in the National Land Code,” he said.

Ayub was speaking to reporters after the national-level 2020 World Cleanup Day Programme officiated by Housing and Local Government Deputy Minister Ismail Abd Muttalib in Kampung Pendas Baru, Gelang Patah, today. – Bernama, September 19, 2020.