PR students drive awareness on plastic pollution through roadshows

The UTAR PR CSR Project 2024, “We Want No Plastic”, organised a series of roadshows across Perak and Penang to raise awareness about reducing single-use plastics. Themed the Last 20 Sen, these events were held on 6 and 10 July 2024 at various locations, including Kampar Morning Market, Teluk Batik Beach, Ipoh Morning Market, and Taiping’s Tai Hu Food Court. The final roadshow, held in Penang on 31 August 2024, was Merdeka-themed and took place at iconic spots such as Armenian Street and Straits Quay.

Organised by 62 Bachelor of Communication (Honours) Public Relations students, under the guidance of Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FAS) academic Ms Diong Fong Wei, the project partnered with Zantat Holdings Berhad, Zaneco Sdn Bhd, and other organisations, namely HOGA, Gaharu Tea Valley Gopeng, Majlis Daerah Kampar, and Green Energy Asia to support Malaysia’s Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018-2030.

The Last 20 Sen initiative encouraged the public to symbolically exchange 20-cent coins to remove plastic waste from an Earth Mascot. “This approach not only makes environmental issues more engaging but also inspires participants to commit to reducing the use of single-use plastics,” shared Rachel Lim Chen Xin from the project’s Public Relations and Media Monitoring Department.

On 31 August 2024, the Penang roadshows also promoted the Spice to Fantastic Exhibition and Recyclable-themed Fashion Show, which aimed to showcase creative fashion made from recycled materials. A mini-fashion show preview was held at Shill 90’s, where attendees were impressed by the innovative designs made from eco-friendly materials.

Reflecting on the campaign’s impact, Lee Kai Pin, an assistant from the project’s Non-profit Development Department, noted, “It was inspiring to see public attitudes shift towards reducing single-use plastics after the roadshow.” Tan Jaw Wei, a member of the Programme Department, further explained, “Our campaign aims to encourage people to refuse single-use plastics at supermarkets by symbolically exchanging their final 20 cents for a pledge.”

By engaging communities and raising awareness through these creative roadshows, We Want No Plastic continues to drive meaningful change towards a greener future.