Malaysian Federation of Hawkers and Traders Associations president Rosli Sulaiman said pricey biodegradable materials were among the challenges faced by traders in trying to help the government achieve its zero-plastic bag target.

“Due to costly (biodegradable) products and difficulty getting biodegradable items, implementation (of the plastic bag ban) should only be in several locations, such as in the Federal Territories,” he said.

Rosli also said Putrajaya should help hawkers and petty traders to get biodegradable materials as alternatives to plastic bags, as well as control the sale of these items by suppliers.

Kuala Lumpur Food Truck Entrepreneurs Association (KLFTEA) president Azlan Abas said strict and consistent enforcement was required to ensure the use of plastic bags were completely phased out.

“For example, in the food truck industry, we have banned the use of plastic bags.

“A majority of food truck operators are using biodegradable products or packaging, and polystyrene boxes for rice are rarely used.”

Azlan said enforcement must also apply to plastic bag suppliers because it would be unfair if action was only taken against hawkers and traders while suppliers were still able to sell plastic bags to businesses.

On May 9, natural resources, environment and climate change minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the government would ban the use of plastic bags across all business sectors by 2025.

He said the ban was currently being implemented in phases and only applied to physical outlets such as supermarkets, mini markets and sundry shops but it would soon be extended to roadside stalls.

Selangor, Penang, Johor and Negeri Sembilan are among the states leading the transition to become plastic-free.