| Rokiah Mahmud |
THE ‘No Plastic Bag’ initiative, recently introduced to the Ramadhan bazaar at the Jalan Bendahara car park in the capital, has received favourable response from members of the public.
Hamizah binti Muslim, from Kampong Tungku, one of the customers at the bazaar, supported the inclusion of Thursdays to the weekend campaign. “However, the public will need more time to get used to this, as some may not be aware that the extra day also applies to Ramadhan stalls,” she said.
Another customer, Rabiatul Nadzirah binti Haji Misli, said, “The campaign will be beneficial for our environment, and it should inspire more people to use recyclable bags for shopping.”
Meanwhile, Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs Shamsul Bahrin bin Haji Mohd Hussain told the Bulletin that the campaign will be extended elsewhere, with the active involvement of all four district offices.
According to him, the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation (JASTRe) is planning to have ‘No Plastic Bag’ for all days by January 1, 2019. “Zero use of plastic bag is our aim and this will be implemented in phases,” he said.
“Through recyclable bags, we hope to reduce the demand for plastic bags, since most of us will throw them and contribute to the pollution of the environment,” he said.
“Waste from the plastic bags often pollutes the drainage system, which may block the flow of the water and cause flooding.”
He also reminded members of the public to bring recyclable bags when d shopping, so that it would be a routine practice for them.
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