Wee speaking to the press after the American all-female band performance at MBKS’s auditorium here.
KUCHING: Straws made of rice and tapioca are currently being considered as an alternative to plastic straws, said Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng.
Wee said the alternatives are being considered as the council took into account the habitual usage of straws by certain quarters of the public to enjoy their beverage.
“I think we find a solution for those who still want to use straw to drink their beverage. The ones made from rice and tapioca, each costing 10 sen, are edible and it poses no negative effect to your health,” Wee told reporters after a performance by an American band named Farewell Angeline at the MBKS auditorium here.
A trial-run banning the use of single-use plastic straws at coffee shops and eateries implemented by MBKS will start on March 1, with the ban fully enforced on the following month, April 1.
For now, the straws made from rice and tapioca would need to be imported for now, Wee said, and the council also focus on promoting awareness on the importance of ditching plastic straws and a softer approach, such as warnings, would be taken on businesses found not complying with the ruling.
“I don’t want to compound people just to teach them how to protect the earth they are living on. It’s just like keeping your own house clean,” Wee said.
Wee opined solutions or alternatives should be developed to address unique circumstances of the people whenever a new ordinance or policy is to be enforced, in order to encourage greater public acceptance.
Personally, Wee said he does not prefer paper straws as an alternative option because it is not completely environmentally friendly, since paper is made from trees being downed.
Banning single-use plastic straws is just the beginning steps in making Kuching city more sustainable and environmental-conscious, he added.