2009/06/21

Malaysia to blow the whistle on litterbugs 馬來西亞將吹哨制止亂丟垃圾者

◎俞智敏

After flyers failed to stop litterbugs, the frustrated mayor of a Malaysian town told his officials to blow the whistle on offenders — literally.

在發送傳單仍無法阻止市民亂丟垃圾後,馬來西亞一位無奈的市長下令官員對違規者吹哨,這裡指的是真的哨子。

Khazali Din, mayor of the northern Alor Star city, said that those who throw garbage on the streets will be greeted with a sharp whistle blown by patrolling city officials, and a fine of up to 300 ringgit.

馬國北部亞羅士打市的市長卡札里說,在街上亂丟垃圾者將聽到市府巡邏官員的尖銳哨音,並面臨馬幣300元的罰款。

"I’ve been trying so many methods, but they failed. I think this is the best way because people will feel shy or embarrassed when they are caught red-handed," he said.

「我試過許多種辦法全都無效,我認為這是最好的方法,因為假如亂丟垃圾者被當場抓到,應會感到害羞或尷尬」,他說。

The whistle offensive started recently, but Khazali said his officers are not yet adept at pouncing on offenders, so no one has been caught yet.

這項吹哨行動已經展開,但卡札里說他的官員對於取締違規者仍不夠熟練,因此目前尚無任何人挨罰。

The litter monitors must learn to act "on the spot, on the dot," he said, adding that the city will give the whistle campaign until at least the end of the year to show results.

卡札里表示,垃圾監測員必須學會「當場、及時」行動,並表示市政府至少會持續推動吹哨行動到年底再決定成效。

Some offenders may be let off with a warning, without having to face the full music, he said.

某些違規者可能僅遭口頭警告即可離去,不必真正面臨懲罰。

新聞辭典

blow the whistle:俚語,指告發、通知、揭發以期阻止壞事或非法行為,如 an attorney who blew the whistle on governmental corruption.(一位揭發政府貪腐內幕的檢察官),whistle-blower則指告發者,如The government pledges to protect whistle–blowers who fear reprisals.(政府承諾會保護擔心遭報復的告密者。)

litterbug:名詞,非正式用語,指在街道或公共場所亂丟垃圾的人。

on the dot:準時地,如The plane landed at two o’clock on the dot.(飛機準時在兩點整降落。)

face the music:指面對困難,或接受應得的懲罰,如When the missing money was noticed, he chose to disappear rather than face the music.(當有人注意到錢不翼而飛時,他寧可選擇失蹤也不願接受懲罰。)

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