TAWAU: The Education Department here has been urged to monitor the dry food and milk supplied to schools in the district and take stern action against suppliers if the products sold to students are found to be close to expiry.
Making the call during the full council meeting yesterday, Tawau Municipal Council president Ismail Mayakob said the council had received complaints from parents about food and milk products sold to students were near expiry date.
He hoped the Education Department would take note of the matter and never allow dry food and milk that are about to expire to be supplied to the schools in the district.
Ismail said the schools and the respective suppliers should always check the expiry dates of food products before they are sold to students.
He said schoolchildren should also be advised to consume the food products they buy in schools as soon as possible and not take them home to be kept in a refrigerator until the expiry date.
Meanwhile, Ismail said the council will work with the Consumers Committee Movement to carry out a campaign to create public awareness on the need to reduce plastic use before implementing the ‘No Plastic Bag Day’ programme every Saturday and Sunday.
During the ‘No Plastic Bag Day’, consumers would have to pay 20 sen for every plastic bag they need to carry the items which they purchase from participating supermarkets and other retail outlets.
The money collected will be given to welfare bodies.