The country is planning to hit litterbugs with the same tough penalties applied in Singapore, which has long been the butt of Malaysian ridicule over its many controls and regulations.
The Minister of Housing and Local Government, Dr Ting Chew Peh, said existing fines of M$500 (HK$1,552) to M$1,000 were inadequate.
'We want to double the fine and make it compulsory for litterbugs to do community work in full view of the public,' he said.
Dr Ting said offenders might have to wear uniforms while cleaning up public areas. Amendments to existing laws would be proposed after a detailed study.
In Singapore, people convicted of littering are usually fined and forced to pick up rubbish under supervision in parks and housing estates wearing jackets marked 'corrective work order'.
Shaming litterbugs by allowing the press to photograph them while they are carrying out their orders has been a feature of Singapore's efforts to keep the country clean.