BY NEVILLE TIMOTHY SANDERS & NATASHA JEE

KUCHING: Kuching City South Council (MBKS) aims to stop the usage of plastic straws and styrofoam containers at its hawker centres and markets, beginning this July.

However, Mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng said before imposing this policy for coffee shops and restaurants under the council’s jurisdiction, MBKS would have multiple discussions with them first.

“We will continue to engage properly with the associations to negotiate a cut-off date for the discontinuation of the use of plastic straws,” he said during the launch of the Earth Day programme at the MBKS lobby here today.

Wee also said when the policy comes into effect, markets and hawker centres who flout this ruling would have their licences revoked.

“We intend to make it a licence condition, that the use of styrofoam containers and plastic straws is not permitted.

“Once it becomes a licence condition, MBKS can revoke the licence under Section 145(6)(b) of the Local Authorities Ordinance, 1996 (Chapter 20) if there is a breach of the licence condition.”

He added that MBKS had the right to create such a policy and it would be added to the existing policy for the operations of hawker centres and markets.

“This is for the good of everybody and the environment. We have been talking about it for a few months and in the hope that the specific cut-off date will be set.”

When asked whether or not an extension period would be given for such a policy to be imposed, he viewed that there should not be.

“This is because we want to get the awareness out there on the usage of plastic straws and styrofoam containers under MBKS’ jurisdiction within the next few months.”

He added that some eateries under the MBKS area had already started to stop using plastic straws and had used other alternatives such as rice straws.

Earlier, Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian officiated at the launch of the Earth Day programme.