Selangor eyes tighter enforcement amid review of plastic bag charge

The Selangor government is reviewing the policy of charging for plastic bags with a view to raising the rate as well as the implementation of the no-plastic day in the state next year following an increase in the use of plastic bags despite the plastic bag charge in place since 2017.

State Tourism, Environment, Green Technology and Orang Asli Affairs Committee chairman Hee Loy Sian conceded that there had been a problem with enforcement during the Covid-19 pandemic as his committee relaxed the policy to allow the use of plastic bags when wrapping food.

"We will tighten enforcement. This time, we may withdraw the premises licence from those who do not comply with the plastic bag charge," he told the Selangor state legislative assembly meeting in Shah Alam today.

He was replying to a supplementary question by Elizabeth Wong Keat Ping (PH-Bukit Lanjan) on the use of plastic bags which appears to have been increasing despite the charge.  

As of June, he said, the collection from plastic bag charges in Selangor amounted to RM4.8 million. It is expected to exceed RM9 million this year compared to RM8.5 million last year and RM6.6 million in 2020.