Kapitan wants stricter enforcement against smoking at eateries
KUCHING: Kapitan Tan Yit Sheng wants to see stricter enforcement against smoking at food premises to provide a be er dining environment for all, particularly non-smokers.
The Kuching Coffeeshop and Restaurant Owners Association commi ee member observed that smoking at food premises has become rampant especially with no enforcement during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We understand that our enforcement officers have been busy with curbing the spread of Covid-19. Now that the pandemic is slightly under control, we hope to see enforcement against smoking at food premises.
“I shall say that smokers are ge ing more and more complacent compared to prepandemic time when they did comply with the regulation.
“Now, smokers just light a cigare e inside the food premises and this is causing great disturbance and health hazard to non-smokers who need to put up with the secondhand smoke,” he said when contacted by The Borneo Post here yesterday.
He was asked to comment on Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s recent tweet which called for stricter enforcement against smoking at food premises in line with the Control of Tobacco Product (Amendment) Regulations 2018.
Tan, who runs a coffee shop in Gala City Commercial Centre here, said he concurred with the minister’s call, pointing out that stricter enforcement is pertinent to protect the wellbeing of nonsmokers. He said all coffee shop operators are required to display the ‘No Smoking’ sign, which seems to serve no purpose now.
“The ‘No Smoking’ sign has been there ever since the smoking ban was enforced two or so years ago. Well, smokers just conveniently choose not to see the sign.
“The regulation is there and whether enforcement or no enforcement, we hope smokers can be more considerate especially in not causing health hazard to non-smokers,” he added.
Tan also hoped the Ministry of Health will issue a directive in black and white to instruct all health departments across the country to carry out stricter enforcement against smoking at food premises.
In his tweet last week calling for stricter enforcement against smoking at food premises, Khairy said he had ordered the relevant enforcement authority to do act on the ma er.
“While monitoring compliance with the pandemic standard operating procedures, they (enforcement officers) can fine smokers who break the regulations. Sekali harung (simultaneously),” he tweeted.
The smoking ban at all food premises under the Control of Tobacco Product (Amendment) Regulations 2018 was enforced in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah on Jan 1, 2019 and Feb 1, 2019 respectively, while Sarawak’s enforcement took effect on March 1, 2019.