GEORGE TOWN, October 13 – In a powerful display of unity, 190 students from SMK Datuk Hj Mohamed Nor Ahmad in Gelugor, Penang, formed a human sign spelling out “Strong Plastic Treaty” on their school field. The event, organized by Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) and the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP), comes ahead of the upcoming UN negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty this November. A cloth banner urging the reduction of plastic production further underscored their demand for urgent action to address the escalating plastic pollution crisis.
The initiative, which included a talk on the Global Plastics Treaty, saw around 400 participants, including teachers and community members, calling for a treaty that cuts plastic waste at its source. SAM Honorary Secretary Mageswari Sangaralingam emphasized the global scale of the crisis, with over 400 million tons of plastic produced annually, half of which is single-use. The students’ demonstration is part of a growing global movement demanding that world leaders prioritize environmental health and sustainability in the treaty negotiations.
