Most Read
Most Commented
Read more like this
mk-logo
From Our Readers
Johor gov’t must keep its promise to ban usage of polystyrene

I wish to congratulate the Selangor government for having the political will to go ahead and ban the use of polystyrene state-wide commencing from Jan 1, 2017 despite some objection from the public especially those in food and beverages industry. An offender is now liable to face a RM1,000 fine if caught using polystyrene packages from next year onwards.

It is well-researched and documented that polystyrene takes up to at least 500 years for it to be perishable, making it virtually non-biodegradable. This would contribute enormously to our garbage waste disposal system and even more concerning one of the prime catalysts for floods is river clogging due to many simply throwing their leftover polystyrene packages into the drain and eventually river.

And the great pollution caused by polystyrene usage will also affect our river and water treatment plants which will lead to irregular water supply system, something that we are getting more and more familiar with nationwide.

It is indeed regrettable that the Johor government has now reneged on its promise to ban polystyrene usage in the state. It was announced with pride last April in the state assembly sitting that the Johor government plans to ban use of polystyrene and plastic package and the matter would be announced by our menteri besar during the tabling of the state budget. However, no such announcement was made.

It is now almost one month since the tabling of Johor budget but until today the government is still in silence about their own plan and promise regarding polystyrene banning in the state.

The way I look at it, the government clearly lacks the necessary political will to push through this agenda and sadly at the end of the day this might end up just being another rhetorical statement.

It is imperative that the Johor government implement the ban as soon as possible to protect our environment and also for our health and consistent water supply issue. Rapid development in Johor has clearly outstripped our existing clean water supply and with massive development coming up in area such as PIPC Pengerang and also Iskandar Puteri and Forest City, this concern is certainly legitimate.

Let us not forget there has been a dramatic increase in water disruption in Johor for the last two years, including in our menteri besar’s own area of Permas, Pasir Gudang for four whole months last year!

This is not the first time I feel that the government lacks political will to protect our environment and also tackle the water pollution issue.

I have twice in the state assembly asked the relevant exco member about the status of a government-linked company (GLC) that was allegedly the cause of the industrial river pollution at Ulu Remis, Sungai Johor last July, but until now the government has yet reply to me and apparently no legal proceedings have been taken against the said company which I feel clearly is unacceptable.

One cannot help but feel the disappointment and the lack of urgency by our government in the handling of our environmental issues. Our government has been promoting our tagline ‘The Johor Way’, but if Selangor can do it why can’t Johor? It seems the Johor way is just all talk and no action way.


JIMMY PUAH WEE TSE is PKR state assemblyperson for Bukit Batu.

ADS