Groups Submit Petition Supporting Smoking Control Bill To Pm

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Five NGOs and associations submitted a petition supporting the tabling of the Control of Smoking Product for Public Health Bill 2023 to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim yesterday.
Ikram Health Malaysia (Ikram Health), Malaysian Green Lung Association, Medical Mythbusters Malaysia, Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control, and the Academy of Professors Malaysia urged all MPs to support the bill when it is tabled for a second reading in Parliament.
The petition was handed over by Ikram Health president Dr Mohd Afiq Nor to the prime minister at the Parliament lobby.
Ikram Health president Dr Mohd Afiq Nor“The smoking problem is seen as not being effectively manageable under the current Food Act and Control of Tobacco Product Regulations,” they said in a joint statement.
“According to the petition, 9.2 million citizens fully support the efforts to table this bill and for the provisions related to the Generational End Game (GEG) to be implemented.
“If this bill is passed, it demonstrates the strong commitment of the Madani government and all MPs to uphold high standards of responsibility.
“It shows that they are not easily influenced by certain parties when addressing critical issues related to legal loopholes in the regulation of smoking products, particularly electronic cigarettes,” the statement added.
The proposed legislation is aimed at controlling the sale and purchase of tobacco products, smoking substances, substitute tobacco products, and smoking devices for public health to create a new generation that is free from the influence of any tobacco product.
Clauses 13 and 14 of the bill proposed the prohibition of the sale of tobacco products to individuals born from January 2007 onwards.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha MustafaPrior to this, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the bill was expected to be tabled for the second reading in Parliament yesterday.
However, it was postponed to give way to “other government business”, drawing brickbats from the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA).
“It begs the question - where does public health stand in the government’s list of priorities?” asked its president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz in a statement.
- Bernama

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