Smoking ban: Eateries can escape penalty
TAWAU: Eateries will not be fined if their customers smoke provided they have fulfilled two criteria.
Food and Beverage Traders Association chairman Chau Oi Keong said they were happy that the government had provided them ways to not confront customers who smoke in their premises by putting up ‘No Smoking’ signages measuring not less than 40 cm x 50 cm and not providing ashtrays on the tables. Chau said he had stated earlier that eatery operators have no right to demand customers to stop smoking in their premises and based on the feedback from his members, they attended a two-hour session at the district health department building to get a proper understanding of the intended ban.
Tawau environmental health officer Rahman Sampe explained that premises operators would not be penalized if they fulfilled the two criteria, and added that customers are allowed to smoke provided they do it at a minimum of three metres from the nearest table.
Assistant officer Trisha Pang Siau Vui said the Ministry of Health had conducted an online survey through the Public Complaints Bureau, in which operators and the public were asked a number of questions pertaining to the matter. Some 430 people from various races as well as 350 eatery operators took part in the survey.
The online survey was conducted between July 20, 2017 till October 15, 2017 with feedback received from 227 males and 203 females comprising 25 percent smokers, nine percent exsmokers and 66 percent nonsmokers.
Four questions were asked, she said, with 92 percent agreeing that smoke from the smokers is disturbing, 95 percent agree that cigarette smoke is dangerous to health, 86 percent agree that smoking should be banned from eatery premises, and 79 percent agree to the enforcement of ‘no smoking zone’ in all eateries.