Minister Susi Urges Local Government to Make Policy on Plastic

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Minister Susi Pudjistuti, appealed to all regional governments to issue policy regarding the use of plastic. The request was made considering many plastic trashes were found polluting Indonesian waters.

"Several regions such as Banjarmasin and Balikpapan have issued local regulations related to the use of plastic bags," said Susi Pudjiastuti in a written statement received by Tempo on Tuesday, August 21, 2018.

According to Susi, the policy would reduce the amount of plastic waste and that every regional head is expected to lead the initiative within their respective regions. "The leadership of regional head is very important. Hopefully, there will be no more smelly sewers or smelly black streams," Minister Susi said.

Susi mentioned that such regulation would also reduce the bad habit of throwing garbage into the sea. Susi explained that many people still believed that trashes dumped into the sea would not return to the beach.

"The sea never store garbage and such bad habit makes our sea dirty," Susi remarked.

The Minister explained that one of the ways to reduce the amount of plastic waste is to reduce the use of plastic in daily activity. For example, utilizing disposable drinking bottles would lower the amount of plastic waste.

"Please utilize a tumbler and reduce using plastic straws because the trash is commonly thrown into the sea," Susi suggested.

In addition, Minister Susi also promoted an environment program titled 'menghadap laut' (facing the sea) to commemorate the 73rd Indonesian independence day in an attempt to reduce plastic waste at sea. This movement was carried out in more than 73 locations by cleaning the sea and coastal areas, including in Bitung Ocean Fisheries Port, North Sulawesi; East Ancol, Jakarta; Kelapa Lima Beach, Kupang, NTT; and Sanur Mertasari Beach, Bali.

Susi added that this series of activities is part of the government's effort to create a waste-free Indonesia and as an implementation of Presidential Decree No. 12/2016 on the National Movement of Mental Revolution with the 'Gerakan Indonesia Bersih' (clean movement) program.

"It is expected that by 2025, Indonesia can reduce 70 percent of the waste that enters the ocean because our sea is the future of the nation," said Susi Pudjiastuti.

SYAFIUL HADI