SIBU: Local councils across Sarawak are encouraged to emulate Sibu Municipal Council (SMC), which will enforce the ban on single-use straws at all eateries within its jurisdiction effective Jan 1 next year.
Assistant Minister of Local Government and Housing Datu Dr Penguang Manggil describes this as a good move to preserve and conserve the environment.
“This is indeed a very noble, small step toward our bigger agenda of ‘cleaning’ our environment,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday when asked to comment about the move by SMC, said to be the first local authority in Sarawak and Sabah to do so.
In this respect, SMC Public Health, Environment and Municipal Services Standing Committee chairperson Rhoda Ting said upon the enforcement of this ban next year, a compound of RM50 would be imposed on any errant operator who continued to use single-use straws in their operations.
She also warned that these non-compliant traders would have their business licences revoked should they repeat the same offence three times.
In this regard, she said the ban against single-use plastic straws was also included in SMC’s licensing conditions for the traders – the same as the ban against the use of Styrofoam food containers.
For the record, the ban on single-use plastic straws at public eateries has been enforced in the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan, effective Jan 1 this year.
Meanwhile, Penguang reiterated his call for all local authorities in Sarawak to manage and dispose of all their waste properly, and to keep all areas under their respective jurisdictions in good condition.
“It is equally important to engage and involve the communities in their (local authorities’) environmental programmes so as to give them that sense of ownership for long-term sustainability.
“In this regard, they can emulate the MCC (Miri City Council) on its LA (Local Agenda) 21 and composting initiatives,” he said.