Smoke-free parks: Dept starts enforcement
SIBU: SarawakHealthDepartment will start educational enforcement to increase public awareness with regard to the gazetting of public parks as non- smoking areas.
In disclosing this on Tuesday, state deputy health director ( public health) Dr Nordin Saleh said the enforcement activities will continue for three months.
“The enforcement of public parks as non- smoking areas started on Feb 1 this year. The rationale is to protect the public, who use parks for gatherings or carrying out healthy activities such as jogging, picnics, children’s play activities, yoga, aerobic exercise and so on, from second hand smoke.
“Once the educational enforcement period is over, offenders will be given a notice or be compounded for up to RM50.
“If they fail or do not wish to pay the compound, they will be charged in court, where they could be fined up to RM10,000 or sentenced to two years in jail,” he said in a statement to The Borneo Post.
Dr Nordin added that health enforcement officers will perform routine enforcement activities based on a schedule to be drawn up.
He said enforcement officers from the local councils may also join in the enforcement.
Currently, there are 76 parks listed as non- smoking areas as given by the local councils, he pointed out.
The list however excludes parks gazetted under the state’s Public Parks and Greens Ordinance as the decision on their inclusion as non- smoking areas is still pending.
Separately, it was observed on Tuesday that banners have been put up at various locations here to inform the public about the ruling.