6 Month Grace Period On Tobacco Control Remains Says Dzulkefly

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Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said the six-month educational enforcement period for the ban on displaying tobacco products is sufficient. (Bernama pic)
PUTRAJAYA: The health ministry remains steadfast in its stance on enforcing the ban on displaying tobacco products under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852).
Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said the six-month educational enforcement period for the ban is sufficient.
“We are firm in our stance. That’s why we allocated six months for discussions and engagement (with traders).
“Some have claimed that it is costly (to modify their premises), so we will discuss this further,” he told reporters after officiating the Occupational Safety and Health Day celebration at the ministry today.
Dzulkefly expressed confidence that a satisfactory solution could be achieved through dialogue and engagement with traders and industry stakeholders.
Earlier this month, the Federation of Sundry Goods Merchants Associations of Malaysia called for a delay in implementing the ban on displaying tobacco products, set to take effect in April next year.
It asserted that many retailers remained unclear about the guidelines and estimated that each store would incur costs of up to RM6,000 to modify the layout of their display cabinets to comply with Act 852, which came into force on Oct 1.
In another development, Dzulkefly said the ministry had taken note of the issue of the cloth used for nurses’ uniforms and is prepared to address the matter at the ministry’s post-Cabinet meeting.
He expressed confidence that the ministry’s top management is open to considering the best solution.
Cuepacs had previously highlighted that some of the fabrics supplied for nurses’ uniforms were not only stiff and thick but also lacked the intended white colour.
Cuepacs president Adnan Mat said the issue of low-quality white fabric for healthcare workers’ uniforms had been raised for some time and should have been resolved by the ministry by now. - FMT

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