Lack of focus in the implementation of no-plastic day!

To enhance the awareness of implementation of no-plastic day and deter public from using plastic-bags in daily usage, the Penang Government had announced that the present charge of RM0-20 per plastic bag would be raised to RM1-00 when consumers requested them from 1st January 2021. To be exact, the practice of non-plastic bag days only falls from Monday to Wednesday, however, the public still can pay RM1-00 as a penalty to get plastic bags from Thursday to Sunday. The state government said that since the implementation of non-plastic days on July, 2009, there has been sign of escalating usage of plastics, the increase in fine from RM0-20 to RM1-00 per plastic bag would deter consumers and shoppers from using plastic bags. From the announcement, I opined that the increase of plastic garbage was because of the entanglement of the issue with lack of focus on the implementation of non-plastic days. It is amusing to note that by paying the RM0-20, a shopper can still be given a plastic bag during the implementation of No-plastic bag Day. What is the meaning of “No-plastic”? With the clear sign of escalating volume of plastic garbage, the Penang Government opted to increase the fine to from RM0-20 to RM1-00 for a plastic bag. This was questionable act as the exchange of fine was still meant for plastic-bag and not paper-bag. The cost of recycled paper bag is well below RM1-00. Why not the statement government encourages shop-keepers to give recycled bags for RM1-00? Additionally, there has been no incentives given to shop-keepers to initiate the use of recycled papers, the present focus to collect the fines from shoppers. Incidentally, Penangites are surprised but happy to note that a newly open Japanese confectionary and cake house in Penang was a environmental friendly in her daily operation by initiating the use of recycled paper-bags for customers. Hopefully, with incentives by the state government, more shops will follow with the use of non-plastic wrappers.