Smoking ban gets positive response – Dr Lee
SIBU: Some 151,000 Malaysians have signed a petition to continue their commitment towards supporting the implementation of the smoking ban, Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye revealed.
At the same time, over 30 professional health bodies and non- governmental bodies will continue assisting to support the Health Ministry ( MOH) in implementing this ban, he added.
The support and positive feedback towards the implementation could be seen in this development, he said when asked on the level of compliance on the educational enforcement on smoking ban among smokers and eatery operators across the nation thus far.
For the record, the smoking ban at all eateries was enforced in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah on Jan 1 and Feb 1 respectively, while it took effect in Sarawak on March 1.
“So far, no summon issued for offence at eateries. We will continue educational enforcement till June 2019,” Dr Lee told The Borneo Post via whatsapp messages yesterday, when asked if anyone was fined for challenging the authority thus far on the ban.
He also recalled a brief survey carried out nationwide between Jan 7 and 14 this year on compliance among members of the public on the smoking ban.
“This study was conducted by convenience sampling by MOH enforcement officers during the second week of January 2019 enforcement activities involving 26,843 premises.
“The results of this study show that 88 per cent of those who were reprimanded by the premises owners adhered to the reminder given and only 12 per cent ignored such reminder,” Dr Lee revealed.
“This shows a positive response and the community has begun to accept this enforced prohibition,” he added.
He pointed out that the main purpose of the short survey was to see the extent of the effectiveness of the reprimands by premises owners in ensuring the compliance of the smoking ban.
Meanwhile, those caught smoking at prohibited areas will be fined an amount not exceeding RM10,000 or jailed for two years and food premises found not displaying the no- smoking sign will be fined an amount not exceeding RM3,000 or imprisonment for six months.
It is also an offence under the Act if the eateries provide ash tray within the non smoking zone, that is, within 10 feet of the eateries’ boundaries.
Such offence when enforced after the six-month period carries a penalty of up to RM5,000 or jail up to one year.
Towards this end, Dr Lee said smokers wishing to quit smoking are encouraged to join the quit smoking services – the ‘ mQuit’ programme – which had been provided by the Health Ministry since 2012.
“In total 731 health clinics, 46 government hospitals, three private hospitals and 164 community pharmacies throughout Malaysia including Sarawak and Sabah ( provide such services),” he said.