Wee (front row, centre) placing an environmental logo on a rubbish bin as a gimmick to officially launch Sustainability Foods International Conference 2024 in Kuching on Aug 14, 2024.

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By Wilfred Pilo

KUCHING, Aug 14: Kuching South City Council (MBKS) advises the public to reduce household waste and recycle to safeguard the environment and achieve sustainable development goals.

MBKS Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng said the council is committed to recycling and environmental protection and encouraged people to reduce household waste and find ways to utilise it before turning to recycling, such as reusing empty washing liquid containers as planting pots.

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“This simple step can help reduce waste before recycling even takes place. People could pick up this habit and do what they can with this empty container waste. So in this way, we can be more sustainable. So it is either to reduce waste, stop it by recycling, or invest in it,” he said.

He told reporters after representing Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian in officiating at Sustainable Foods International Conference 2024 at a hotel here today.

“When we talk about the environment it is not just about making dollars and cents. It should be the last thing to consider on environmental sustainability,” he said, wondering out loud whether investors are willing to collect used cooking oil and grease produced by food and beverage operators for recycling.

“This is not a commercial enterprise, and the government must intervene for our good. Only then we can achieve our sustainable development goal (SDG).”

Wee also want more stringent measures to be imposed on those who dump waste indiscriminately.

“The government should impose greater fines and even jail sentences on those who commit environmental offences. These stricter fines would be a deterrent and help ensure our environmental sustainability,” he said. — DayakDaily