It is the height of idiocy to offer free plastic bags amid global efforts to reduce its usage to fight environmental hazards, Lim Lip Eng said today.

In a statement, the Segambut MP called for BN-ruled states with similar bans in place to lift the measures, and promote the places as "cities of plastic."

Lim was commenting on the recent promise by Selangor BN information chief Satim Diman that should it capture the state in the coming general election, it would do away with the current ban on plastic and polystyrene packaging imposed by the PKR-led government.

At present, consumers who insist on plastic bags while shopping for groceries are charged 20 sen per bag.

Lim also pointed out that it is not only the federal opposition-led Selangor and Penang that had such ban in place, but also BN-ruled states such as the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan, as well as Johor.

"Preposterous as (Satim's suggestion) may sound, why does BN have to wait for the general election?

“BN secretary-general Tengku Adnan (Tengku Mansor), who is also the federal territories minister, should implement the BN manifesto by lifting the ban on plastic bags and polystyrene packaging in Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.

"Perhaps he can also promote the three cities to the world as ‘cities of plastic’ to attract shoppers who love free plastic bags," he said in the statement.

Lim also suggested that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak compels the recently relaunched 1Malaysia People's Shop (KR1M 2.0) to start distributing free plastic bags to shoppers at its stores nationwide, with immediate effect.