Kuching eatery owners support council’s plan to ban plastic straws
KUCHING: The Kuching Coffeeshop and Restaurant Owners Association is supportive of Kuching South City Council’s (MBKS) plan to ban plastic straws at all eateries under its jurisdiction.
The association’s education committee chief Kapitan Tan Yit Sheng said they will back any campaign or policy that serves to protect Mother Earth.
He said the association had discussed the matter during a meeting called at the end of May this year.
“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 to the ban on plastic straws may draw 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 yesterday.
Tan was commenting on Kuching South Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng’s remark on Saturday that MBKS 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 jurisdiction.
Tan said even though the association would not object to the proposed ban, its members are concerned about an increase in cost brought about by the replacement of plastic straws.
“The cost of rice or paper straws is much higher than that of plastic straws. With the rising cost of living now, it will no doubt be another financial burden to coffee shop 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 current inflation,” he said.
According to Tan, a pack of 100 plastic straws costs coffee shop operators 80 sen, while it is RM2 for 100 paper straws.
This, he pointed out, would result in roughly a 20 per cent increase in operating cost.
He said MBKS should hold a dialogue with coffee shop operators and industry players before imposing the proposed 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 price 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 in general, including those made of rice or paper.
“The authorities concerned should organise campaigns or come up with posters to educate the public on not using straws. Leaving us, the coffee shop operators, to deal with the matter will not be efficient enough,” he added.
In this regard, Tan hoped more effort would be made to educate the people before the implementation of any new policy.