Provide biodegradable bags or risk losing business licence, Malacca warns

The state government will be taking stern action, including withdrawing the business licence of supermarkets and traders in the state, that refuse to provide biodegradable or paper bags to customers effective June 1.

State Education, Higher Education, Science and Technology, Green Technology and Innovation Committee chairman, Datuk Md Yunos Husin, said the action was in line with 'Melaka Without Plastic Bags' campaign effective Jan 1, this year.

"Some traders are taking the opportunity to save cost by not providing any bags to customers in the campaign when they were required to replace plastic bags with biodegradable or paper bags.

"We have given ample notice to all traders, sundry shops and supermarkets in the state to carry out the campaign yet they failed to adhere to the requirement," he told reporters here Monday.

Earlier, he handed 'Melaka without plastic and polystyrene bags' banners and stickers to all supermarkets in the state in the presence of Melaka Green Technology Corporation CEO, Datuk Kamarudin Md Shah.

Md Yunos said more stringent monitoring and enforcement would be carried out by local authorities in the state, namely Melaka Historic City Council, Hang Tuah Municipal Council, Jasin Municipal Council and Alor Gajah Municipal Council to ensure traders provided bags to customers.

Apart from that, he said the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry in Malacca would also be involved in the enforcement to ensure bags used were biodegradable under the Trade Descriptions Act 2011.

"Members of the public who are refused biodegradable or paper bags can lodge complaints with the local authorities in the state and the Melaka Green Technology Corporation," he said.

He also said Melaka Green Technology Corporation had identified 13 biodegradable product suppliers in and outside Malacca, capable of supplying such green food containers and bags to traders throughout the state.