Why all the fuss? Just light up away from eateries

JOHOR BARU: Some smokers have adapted themselves by lighting up away from food premises while others might need some convincing to follow the law when the smoking ban is fully enforced.

Penarik Seafood restaurant owner, Hisham Ahyaludin, 39, said customers at his restaurant had been understanding and would move a certain distance away to smoke.

“It all goes back to the smokers themselves as some say the ban is unfair and obstructs their right to smoke while others think it’s not worth the fight and follow the law.

It’s just a matter of respecting and understanding others, that’s all.

Hisham Ahyaludin

“Even I have to get out of the restaurant when I want to smoke so there is no need for a huge fuss. It’s just a matter of respecting and understanding others, that’s all,” he said when met at his restaurant in Kota Masai yesterday.

He added that so far the restaurant had received no complaints from smoking customers.

Meanwhile, Al-Safa Restaurant owner Mohamad Syed Kadir Sulthan Syed Ibrahim, 24, said he was worried that the smoking ban would take a huge toll on his business.

“We have some 50% smokers and 50% non-smokers at our restaurant and I am sure this will affect business.

“Even though we have our own smoking zone, that would need to be closed down and I think a lot of people would not be happy,” he said, adding that the matter had been brought to the attention of the local food association.

Mohamad Syed Kadir during the first week of introducing the smoking ban, the restaurant received a lot of complaints from customers and business dropped.