Press Statement by Lim Lip Eng at Kuala Lumpur City Hall on Wednesday, 6^th January 2010:

Petition for "No Plastic Bag Day" by 10 KL MPs

Campaigns to ban the use of plastic bags are not only adopted by Pakatan Rakyat state governments, Federal Minister for Water, Green Technology and Power Datuk Peter Chin Fa Kui has in October last year announced that a national campaign of that sort will be carried out eventually as one of the ways to conserve the environment and promote green technology.

By default, Kuala Lumpur as a federal territory and the capital city of Malaysia should take the lead to spearhead the ban of plastic bags in the city and no reason for city mayor to say otherwise.

Malaysian must consider the following shocking facts about plastic bags:

• Plastic bags are made of polyethylene which is a petroleum product

• It takes 1000 years for polyethylene bags to break down

• Production contributes to air pollution and energy consumption

• As polyethylene breaks down, toxic substances leach into the soil and enter the food chain

• Plastic bags are often mistaken as food by animals and these animals suffer a painful death, the plastic wraps around their intestines or they choke to death

• When these animals die and decay, the plastic bag is free again to repeat the deadly cycle

• Supplying plastic bags is a business expense with no financial return

• Plastic bags are the main culprit for blocking drains

Contrary to the worries of some in the retail industry, most urban shoppers now prefer plastic bag alternatives because they care about protecting the environment and they prefer to shop at retailers who are doing their bit to help the environment for example IKEA and Jaya Jusco.

* Lim Lip Eng, MP for Segambut