Tiong (fourth left) declares open Love Earth Day 2017. From second left are Loh, Jong, Wong (third right) and others.
SIBU: Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) will make a study for the formulation of a by-law to compel households here to segragate their wastes.
According to its chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King, the council would look into this possibility since there is already such a law in Peninsula to enforce such activity.
Since Sept 1 2015, households in the peninsula must segregate their solid wastes as required under the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007.
A compound of RM1,000 is imposed on households from January 2016 if they failed to separate their daily wastes.
“We will look into the matter. I think if they already have a law there, why not here?
“We are in the same country. We will study this issue,” Tiong, who is Dudong assemblyman, told reporters yesterday.
In his speech earlier when officiating at ‘Love Earth Day 2017’ at the lobby of Wisma Sanyan yesterday, Tiong said it was important to remember not only the three Rs but also 5Rs to save the earth.
The five environment-conscious words are the three R words: reduce, reuse and recycle for establishing a recycle-oriented society and two additional words: refuse and reform.
“We celebrate Earth Day to remind us to be kind to our planet. It is amazing that something such as 5Rs can be a guiding principle totake us through life.
Meanwhile, organising chairman councillor Albert Tiang said the event had been conducted for the past nine years.
He said while environmental topic was nothing new to the people, there was still a lack of understanding on tackling of issues related to the environment.
He thus called on parents to also play a role in ensuring a clean environment for the next generation.
Mentari Alam Eko (M) Sdn Bhd executive director Mae Ooi meanwhile expounded on a technology to recycle food waste.
She said food waste was an a great issue that contributed to pollution.
“In Malaysia, about15,000 tonnes of food wastes were being discarded each day,” she said.
SMC acting secretary Jong Thian Puk, councillors Wong Hie Ping, Kapitan Conny Loh and Ibrahim Laili were among those present.