Tan said any organisation that objects the ban on plastic straws may draw an outrage from the community. – AFP file photo
KUCHING (July 10): The Kuching Coffeeshop and Restaurant Owners Association is supportive of the Kuching South City Council’s (MBKS) plan to ban plastic straws at all eateries under its jurisdiction.
Its education chief Kapitan Tan Yit Sheng said they would not hesitate to back any campaign or policy that serves to protect the Mother Earth.
He said the association, during a meeting called end of May this year, had deliberated the subject matter.
“There was no objection during the meeting because we know of the importance of not using plastic straws, which are harmful to our environment.
“Any organisation that objects the ban on plastic straws may draw an outrage from the community. Furthermore, we believe that it (ban on plastic straws) is a good move to preserve Mother Nature,” he said when contacted by The Borneo Post today.
He was commenting on Kuching South Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng’s remark yesterday that the city council was mulling a total ban on plastic straws at all eateries within its jurisdiction by the end of this year.
Presently, the ban on plastic straws is only imposed at hawker centres within the city council’s area of jurisdiction.
Tan said even though they would not object the proposed ban, they are worried about the increasing cost that involved the replacement of plastic straws.
“The costs of rice or paper straws are much higher than that of plastic straws. With the rising costs of living now, it will no doubt be another financial burden to coffeeshop operators.
“We are supportive of the proposed ban on plastic straws but planning to implement it by this year is making the matter worse especially in light of the inflations,” he said.
According to him, 100 plastic straws cost 80 sen, but coffeeshop operators need to fork out RM2 for every 100 paper straws.
He said this may result in about a 20 per cent increase in operating costs.
He added that he had no knowledge about the cost of rice straws.
Tan opined that the city council should hold a dialogue with coffeeshop operators and industry players before imposing the proposed total ban on plastic straws.
“We do not want to see any monopoly of the supply of either paper or rice straws. With more suppliers, the prices of paper or rice straws can be more competitive,” he pointed out.
He said consumers and the community at large must be educated to reduce the use of straws, be they made of rice or paper.
“The authorities concerned should organise campaign or come up with posters to educate the public on not using public straws. Leaving us the coffeeshop operators to deal with the matter will not be efficient enough.
“Just like the No Smoking campaign, it is not up to us to educate the public and to make matter worse, coffeeshop operators will be penalised if we do not advise smokers not to light a cigarette inside the eatery,” he added.
Tan hoped that more efforts could be done to educate the people before the implementation of any new policy.