Commentary: Engage public to identify litterbugs? We need not think of it as fine line between surveillance and vigilantism

SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency ( NEA ) may make the images of litterbugs public so that people can help identify them in the wake of the recent debate on government spending estimates, which caused a little online chaos.

According to the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment ( MSE), the stated goal of the suggested measure is to “invoke social group rights to maintain the common areas clean and even hinder possible litterbugs.” One question is whether this could have the same effect, which would be to undermine social trust.

To strengthen the government’s dedication to a higher level of cleanliness, 2024 has been designated the year of public health.

The president’s desire to keep Singapore clean and green is everything new. In 1968, Singapore became the first nationwide campaign to address litter and make it the nicest and greenest city in the area.