'No plastic bags on Mondays': growing response

Kota Kinabalu: City Hall Director-General Yeo Boon Hai said he is confident people will gradually get used to not depending on plastic bags.

"Since the 'No Plastic Bag Day On Monday' campaign was launched on June 7, we are proud to see more than 20 supermarkets participating and more will be joining," he said at the Lido Milimewa Superstore, Monday.

Though it is hard and may be a little bit of hassle for consumers at this early stage, he is confident they would gradually get used to it as time went by.

"For plastic bags used by customers who do not bring their own on Mondays, 20 sen will be charged and all the money collected will go to the Sabah Environmental Action Centre for awareness activity and other similar purposes," Yeo said.

He also said these campaigns are held nationwide so that people start doing something seriously for the environment and the State and country become a cleaner place to live in.

"We always get the same complaints from tourists when it comes to the cleanliness of the city.

"Most say there is too much rubbish especially plastic bags in the rivers, drains, roadside and other regular tourist sites," he said, adding it is a shameful fact to swallow and, thus, has to be changed.

Meanwhile, Milimewa Superstore West Coast Region 2 Senior Manager, Gui Cheng Oo, said participating in this campaign is one way to prove they really are trying to do something to save the environment.

"The earth is now facing serious global warming issues and our country is among contributing to it," he said.

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