The Selangor government has no intention of closing down plastics factories in the state, even though it has conducted a plastic-bag-free campaign for 10 years.

Chairman of the state Environment, Green Technology and Consumer Affairs committee Hee Loy Sian (above) said this was because the people had a right to use plastic bags in their daily activities.

“We have no plans to close down existing plastics factories. They (manufacturers) want to make this product, it is their right. It is like cigarettes, we ban cigarettes but we must allow the cigarette factories to produce them.

“The consumers have a right to use plastic bags. We only educate them so that they reduce their usage. The plastic bags will only be banned in 2025,” he said at the Selangor State Assembly sitting today.

Hee (PKR-Kajang) was replying to a supplementary question from Mohd Fakhrulrazi Mohd Mokhtar (Amanah-Meru) who questioned Selangor’s decision to allow plastics factories to continue operating, while at the same time conducting a plastic-free campaign.

Hee also defended the decision by the Selangor government to ban food premises in Selangor from providing plastic straws to customers from July 1.

He said this was because Selangor wanted the public to use stainless steel straws, while encouraging the food premises to provide paper straws to their customers.

He added that he also discouraged people from using straws when they can just sip.

If hot coffee can be drunk straight from the cup, he did not see a problem with drinking cold drinks straight from the glass, he said.

- Bernama