Dzul: Drop in patrons after smoking ban only temporary

PUTRAJAYA: Smokers avoiding smoke-free eateries will only be a temporary thing, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

The Health Minister said reports that eatery owners are suffering from a decline in customer numbers due to the smoking ban is not something unexpected.

“I am sure this is something we have anticipated. In our opinion, it is a temporary phenomenon that will quickly pass.

“If you say that some restaurants are suffering from the smoking ban, we have also come across cases where restaurants get more patrons after becoming smoke-free. This is because they can now bring their children and not worry about being affected by cigarette smoke,” said Dr Dzulkefly at a press conference here.

He said that the smoking ban at eateries that was implemented by the ministry on Jan 1 was not about banning smoking or taking away the right to smoke.

“We are not taking away the right to smoke cigarettes. But we want to allow non-smokers to have the right to dine without worrying about passive smoke,” he said.

Dr Dzulkefly said smoking used to be allowed on flights many years ago, until it became completely prohibited.

“Now that smoking is no longer allowed on planes, smokers just have to show some restraint within that time and space.

“So I urge everyone to look at the bigger picture and perspective. We want to have better and healthier eating places. But our habits must change,” he said.

Earlier, Dr Dzulkefly gave his 2019 new year address to staff of his ministry.

In Gombak, Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye said that the situations would normalise in a week or two given the current “adjustment period”.

“We are aware of the complaints by eateries that their business has been affected.

“There are also smokers who lamented that the ban deprived them of their right to smoke.

“However, I must reiterate that non-smokers have more right to be free from second hand smoke, especially when the banned areas cover less than 1% of the total land area in the country.

“Smokers still have many places to smoke at,” he said after flagging off teams of medical practitioners and volunteers for medical outreach camps for the orang asli in the remote areas of Pahang, Kelantan, Perak and Selangor at the Gombak Orang Asli Hospital in Gombak on Friday.