THE campaign by the local authorities to discourage the use of plastic straws and single use plastics was taken a step further by none other than the Mayor of Penang Island City Council (MBPP) himself when he led an entourage of councillors and MBPP officers on an awareness creation trail at the Penang International Airport (PIA).
Speaking to the media prior to the commencement of the walkabout, mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang recounted how the campaign first took shape months ago and was glad that it has the support of Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
“MBPP introduced the idea of ‘Say No to Plastic Straws and Single Use Plastics’ on June 25 this year during the launching of the state level PlogClean programme at Karpal Singh Drive. During the programme, we found out that quite a number of waste collected by volunteers were plastic straws and single use plastics like beverage cups, lids and water bottles, which led to pollution.
“Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow replied ‘Just Do It’ to the suggestion (on reducing the use of plastics) at the event and since then, MBPP has stopped providing mineral water cups with straws at its meetings. MBPP staff will bring our own water bottles to meetings and functions,” Yew said to the press on Nov 5.
Accompanying Yew during his walkabout were MBPP councillors Wong Yuee Harng, Connie Tan, MBPP secretary Addnan Mohd Razali, several MBPP department heads and PIA senior airport manager Mohd Nadzim Hashim.
Posters and stickers which depict the harmful effects of plastic towards aquatic life and with the words ‘Say No To Plastic Straws & Single-Use Plastics’ were distributed to the operators of eateries such as McDonald’s and KFC as well as convenience stores.
“MBPP is now providing exposure and educating the operators of restaurants and eateries on the importance of supporting this initiative. Public education will be given to 1,311 licensed food premises from Nov 2018 to March 2019 and the efforts to increase the awareness at 1,560 premises will continue until the end of next year,” added Yew.
Story by Victor Seow
Pix by Chan Kok Kuan