There’s no more smoking here!

Launderettes now urged to put up signs at their premises

PETALING JAYA: Launderettes in the Klang Valley will be advised to put up no-smoking signs at their premises to promote better health awareness among customers.

The Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Laundry Association will discuss with and advise its 200-over members to do this, following the Health Ministry’s plans to gazette more places as smoke-free areas.

“We constantly discourage people from smoking at our premises, including self-service launderettes. Many already have no-smoking signs.

“So it is not necessary for the government to extend the smoking ban to launderettes,” association president Tham Ah Wah said when contacted yesterday.

He said aside from health reasons, the butts, ash and smoke from cigarettes may also dirty the customers’ clothes.

“Customers do not linger in launderettes. Those who come to collect their washed clothes need only one to two minutes.

“There won’t be time for them to light up their cigarettes,” Tham added.

However, the Health Ministry is looking into whether smoking at launderettes is also a safety hazard as some dryers are operated by gas.

“If it is true that this can pose a safety risk, we will work with local authorities to include launderettes as no-smoking areas,” said the ministry’s deputy director general (public health) Datuk Dr Chong Chee Kheong.

He said the ministry received mostly positive responses on the smoking ban in eateries, which started on Jan 1.

“There has also been negative feedback, which we will consider.

“We will gather such responses from the public and premises owners before presenting it to the minister next week,” Dr Chong said.

On the potential hazards of smoking near gas-operated dryers, Tham said machines in launderettes should not have any gas leaks in the first place.

“Even if there was a leak and a fire is ignited, the cause could be many other reasons. Not solely from the spark of a cigarette,” he said.

Beginning this year, smoking in all restaurants, coffee shops and hawker centres nationwide has been banned, even in open-air eateries.

Those caught smoking in prohibited areas can be fined up to RM10,000 or face two years’ jail, while eateries allowing customers to light up will be fined up to RM2,500.

However, smokers can still light up 3m away from these establishments.

Recently, the government also said it planned to gazette more establishments as no-smoking areas including launderettes.