Friday February 12, 2010

TELUK INTAN: The Government will monitor the No Plastic Bag Day’s effectiveness in Penang and Selangor before deciding if it should be implemented nationwide.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said his ministry would monitor the on-going campaign to reduce the usage of plastic bags at departmental stores, hypermarkets, mini-markets and other shops in the two states.

“In that way we do not have to make use of plastic bags and shopping centres need not provide plastic bags,” Kong said after opening the RM1.75mil Arena Square, built by the Teluk Intan Municipal Council, yesterday.

The Selangor government went plastic bag-free day every Saturday from Jan 1.

In Penang, the state government started its plastic bag-free days campaign since July last year.

On another matter, Kong said it was up to the respective state governments to implement the privatisation of the solid waste management.

“While states in the southern region had long implemented the move, the northern states have yet to do so,” he said.

On the Federal Government’s allocation to the local authorities, Kong said that RM299.3mil would be disbursed to 144 councils in Malaysia.

Besides this grant, Kong said the ministry also provided RM185.3mil to help local councils pay the assessment of Govern-ment-owned buildings.

Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/2/12/nation/5666253&sec=nation