Restaurants and eatery outlets all set for smoking ban

KUALA LUMPUR: Eatery owners and operators are all ready for the enforcement of smoking ban on Wednesday with no-smoking signage and notices being put up at their premises.

A survey conducted over the past three days at several popular eateries in the federal capital found a high level of compliance by the operators.

A worker at a nasi kandar restaurant in Ampang, Abdul Kareem Ismail, 32, said the signage at the premises had been put up for quite some time.

“We have no problem in complying with the regulation but customers ignored them.

“Recently, we put up bigger signage and hopefully they will heed it (ban) this time. We have placed tables and chairs outside and we hope the smokers will sit there when they come to eat or drink,” he said.

A vendor at a food court in Cheras, Rahman Iskandar, 25, said he realised some of their customers changed their behaviour following the smoking ban campaign.

“I think more people are aware of the rules because regular customers have started to smoke outside the eateries area or in the parking area.

“Some customers, especially those with young children, are even bold enough to tell off those who smoke in the food court,” he said.

Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan said Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) installed no-smoking signage in most buildings, including government premises.

“We have put up many no-smoking signage in the city, with the big ones at several locations, including on the large screen at Dataran Merdeka and also in Bukit Bintang.

“To date, about 3,000 notices and posters have been issued by DBKL’s Health and Environment Department and the Department of Environment at open food premises in the city since January this year,” he said.

Nor Hisham said 200 enforcement personnel would be mobilised to carry out inspections at food premises to ensure compliance.

Beginning Wednesday, the ban on smoking in open-air premises under Regulation 11(1)(d) of the Tobacco Control Regulations 2004, will be enforced with legal action to be taken against errant smokers. — Bernama