As part of efforts to deter citizens from littering, the Bandung city administration has displayed photographs of trash miscreants caught in the act on banners in the city center.
“Having been punished in this way, the litterers will not repeat their bad habit of throwing garbage anywhere they like,” said Bandung Mayor Ridwan “Emil” Kamil in Bandung on Tuesday as reported by kompas.com.
According to Emil, social shaming is more effective as a form of punishment than fines, adding that his administration had established the Sanitation Monitoring Patrol (PPK) to implement the social punishment.
City-owned sanitation operator PD Kebersihan director Deni Nurdiana said that PPK officers armed with cameras would operate in busy areas.
“When people drop litter, the officers will take their photographs. If they throw garbage from their cars, the police will take their registration numbers,” Deni said, adding that as well as being printed on banners and posters, the pictures would also be posted on social media.
Currently, she added, there were only 13 PPK officers, but that figure was expected to increase to around 100.