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Bill to ban smoking to be brought to Cabinet next week

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin this is the first step to convincing the Cabinet and winning its support to enable him to table the bill in Parliament.

Bernama
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Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin speaks at a press conference in Serdang today. Photo: Bernama
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin speaks at a press conference in Serdang today. Photo: Bernama

The Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill will be brought to the Cabinet meeting next week for approval before being tabled in Parliament, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said today.

Khairy said at the Cabinet meeting, ministers would have the opportunity to exchange views and present their arguments, while he would also be able to provide explanations.

He said this was the first step to convincing the Cabinet and winning its support to enable him to table the bill in Parliament.

"If the bill is approved, Malaysia will be the first country in the world to pass it as a law banning smoking and the possession of smoking products including electronic cigarettes (vaping) for those born after 2005," he said at a press conference in Serdang. 
 
Khairy said the proposed implementation of the generational endgame (GEG) provision in the bill was to protect Malaysia's younger generation from picking up the smoking habit and getting addicted to tobacco products, as well as to reduce the number of smokers in Malaysia to less than 5% by 2040.

"This will be able to reduce the risk of premature deaths, chronic diseases and treatment costs that have to be borne by the government due to smoking complications among the community," he said, adding that the prevalence of smokers in Malaysia was still high at 40.5% among men and 20% among women.

"Now is the best time to shut the door completely to smoking for young Malaysians as 97% of youths support GEG and do not see smoking as a lifestyle to which they aspire," he said.

Khairy said although many might not support the bill as they believe that the act would affect the country's source of income and the tourism industry, if left unchecked, the government would have to bear treatment costs of about RM8 billion to treat health problems linked to smoking.