Selangor BN's pledge to reward consumers using own bags lauded

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor BN's pledge to pay 20 sen to consumers using their own bags when shopping, if the party wins the 14th General Election (GE14) on May 9, has been lauded by people in Selangor.
According to pensioner Kamsiah Said, 62, the 20 sen charge imposed by the state government for each plastic bag, aimed at reducing use non-biodegradable materials for environmental purposes, was seen to be ineffective.
"The 20 sen charge imposed on consumers does not make much difference as not many people remember to carry their own bags and were still willing to pay for the plastic bags," she told Bernama.
However she said, if consumers were paid 20 sen for bringing their bags, this would probably encourage more people to bring along their grocery bags when shopping.
The pledge was announced by Selangor BN chairman Tan Sri Noh Omar through the manifesto launched on April 8, under the Quality Health and Environmental Sustainability initiative.
The Selangor government under caretaker Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali had imposed a ban on free plastic bags and the use of polystyrene containers at major commercial centres effective Jan 1, last year, after the rule was imposed every Saturday since 2010.
However, consumers who still needed to use the plastic bag were required to pay 20 sen for a plastic bag.
A shopper who only wanted to be known as Azrun, 34, said the Selangor BN initiative was more appropriate as this would encourage more people to reduce the use of plastic bags.
"For the less fortunate, the 20 sen charge is costly and if so many people still pay for the bags the state government are the ones who gain as a piece of plastic bag doesn't really cost that much.
"Apart from that the people are not informed where the proceeds from sale of the plastic bags are being channeled to," he said adding that the reverse approach by the Selangor BN in paying those who bring their own bags would bring a more positive outcome. — Bernama