KUCHING, March 22: Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng emphasised the invaluable importance of the environment during the launch of the ‘Bring Your Own Bottle’ (BYOB) campaign today.
Wee highlighted the surge in single-use plastic bottle consumption during frequent walking and running events in Kuching, underscoring MBKS’s commitment to minimising such waste as part of their waste reduction efforts.
“There are concerns of having too much waste during events like these. We need to put a stop (to it), and before we make it compulsory and put it in the law, we will get it started here (MBKS) first.
“For now, the campaign will start here (MBKS), then every week we will extend (it to) every floor. For fairness, all the staff will be given one bottle,” said Wee, referring to the installation of water dispenser units that are made in collaboration with Sar-Alam Indah (SAI).
Following the statement, Wee said that the council will be extending the BYOB campaign to schools and later to parks after successfully launching it within the MBKS building itself.
In conjunction with Earth Day, the council also sent letters to schools to encourage children to switch off the lights for one hour at night, he said.
Other initiatives that the council looks forward to includes the complete cessation of plastic bags in stores, therefore, MBKS is planning to convene all store operators after the Raya celebration to fully enforce the ‘no plastic bags’ regulation.
SAI director, Bernard Yong commended Wee and MBKS for making the effort to reduce plastic waste, with their first step being the reduction of plastic straws which had already been in effect since April 2023.
Wee hopes that the campaign will kick off successfully and it will be well received by the society.
Among those who were also present at the ceremony were MBKS councillors and Sar-Alam’s management staff. — DayakDaily
