Malaysia: Sabah to bring back ‘no plastic’ bag campaign

The Star 21 Jun 17;

KOTA KINABALU: The “no plastic” bag campaign is set to be re-launched in August.

This follows the scrapping of the prog­ramme in May 2015, when the use of funds collected from the sale of plastic bags to shoppers was questioned.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said the rebranded Bawa Beg Bah (Bring A Bag) or 3B campaign would see participating outlets charging 20 sen for plastic bags on weekends and Mondays, with City Hall to manage the funds.

Under the previous campaign launched in June 2010, a total of 384 outlets were involved with the collected funds managed by the Environmental Action Centre under the Sabah Tourism Ministry.

Masidi pledged that the collection would be used solely for environment-related activities.

His speech at an event here yesterday was read out by his permanent secretary Datuk Ginus Yangus.

“We hope business outlets will support this rebranded campaign,” he said, adding that the 3B campaign aimed to reduce, reuse and recycle plastic bags for the sake of the environment.

Masidi also urged the public to give full support to the campaign, which was vital to help protect the environment.

At the event, a memorandum of understanding on Clean City, Healthy Community was signed between Gleneagles Hospital and City Hall.

Masidi said these efforts were aimed at making Kota Kinabalu a greener and more liveable city.


KK City Hall to manage funds collected from 'no plastic bag' campaign
STEPHANIE LEE The Star 20 Jun 17;

KOTA KINABALU: A rebranded no plastic bag campaign will kick off in August after the previous initiative was scrapped following calls for more transparency, with funds collected to be managed by the Kota Kinabalu City Hall.

Previously, funds were collected and managed by the Environmental Action Centre (EAC) under the Sabah Tourism Ministry.

Sabah tourism, culture and environment minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, in a speech delivered by his permanent secretary Datuk Ginus Yangus, said the rebranded campaign – Bawa Beg Bah (bring a bag, bah) or 3B – would see participating businesses collect 20 sen for every plastic bag used by customers on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.

The EAC will still collect the funds under the rebranded campaign.

A total of 384 businesses were involved in the previous campaign that started in June 2010.