Terengganu will ban plastic bags next year: Exco

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Terengganu government will ban the use of plastic bags next year, says State Local Government, Housing, Health and Environment Committee chairman Dr Alias Razak.
He said the ban would be implemented in stages involving all supermarkets and restaurants, in support of the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change, targeting zero plastic bags.
"Currently, the state government has carried out campaigns on the ban of plastic bags involving several supermarkets and not to supply (plastic bags) every Saturday. If they still insist of using plastic bags, they are charged 20 sen," he told reporters after launching the Caring for the Environment programme in conjunction with the National Environment Day 2018 celebration here today.
Alias said the state government would also approach the issue by educating the community and by next year if some were still stubborn then they had to purchase eco-friendly bags sold at the supermarket.
Meanwhile, commenting on the ban on smoking in public places, Alias said the state government has taken a preliminary step by gazetting some areas as no-smoking zones, especially in restaurants and public parks such as Batu Burok Beach.
However, he did not deny that there was lack of enforcement that it (smoking) still occurred but he gave his assurance that more proactive steps would be taken to address the issue including imposing a fine. — Bernama