KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 6 -- Assume that person next to you casually scrolling on their phone is just another passer-by? They might actually be an undercover SWCorp officer watching for litterbugs.

The Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) is deploying plain-clothes enforcement officers as part of a tougher push against littering in public areas.

Its chairman, Hee Loy Sian, told Utusan Malaysia the covert approach is meant to catch offenders red-handed at known hotspots - without them seeing it coming.

According to him, enforcement operations now combine on-the-ground patrols and CCTV surveillance, with offenders immediately issued a Notice of Offence (NPK), having their statements recorded and investigation paper...