Perak goes ahead with plastic-free days

Doing their part: Dr Abdul Aziz (right) cleaning up some rubbish during the World Clean Up Day along Kinta River in Perak.

IPOH: Perak will press ahead with plastic-free days which failed previously due to a lack of public awareness and support.

“Initiatives like this have to be taught from young. We want not just plastic-free but also a car-free day,” said state environment committee chairman Prof Dr Abdul Aziz Bari.

The silver state, he said, was committed to environmentally-friendly policies.

In 2016, the then Barisan Nasional state government announced the first phase of a statewide ban on plastic bags and polystyrene containers, but it failed.

For the plastic-free initiative to work, Dr Abdul Aziz said a comprehensive coordination at the state level was necessary, as the local councils were the ones that would oversee the implementation and enforcement.

“They are the ones who have the say and means to initiate and put into action all policies and initiatives.

“It is important to have some kind of coordination and synchronisation within the state government so that we are able to push the initiative effectively,” he said after opening the World Clean Up Day where 500 students and staff from Quest International University Perak cleaned up the riverbank along Kinta River.

He also noted that Malaysia needed a special national council to work on matters related to environmental protection.

Representatives from the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry and environment excos from all states could sit in the council, he said.

“We don’t have such a body coordinating the policies and issue initiatives related to the environment, which is very important. We hope there will be more national coordination on this. Unlike Penang and Selangor, such initiatives are new to some states, like for us in Perak.

“We don’t have the experience and expertise. That is why this issue ought to be shared. I hope for a roundtable discussion with the minister and all state environment excos soon.

“This way we can increase awareness among the people to care for the environment because without the people’s cooperation, efforts by any environment agencies will not work,” he said.

Dr Abdul Aziz, who is a constitutional law expert, noted that there was no clause or provision on environment protection in the Federal Constitution.