23 amendments proposed for smoking endgame bill

A committee paper containing 23 proposed amendments to the Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill 2022 will be submitted at the current Dewan Rakyat sitting, says Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

He said the proposed amendments for the resumption of debate on the bill involve the Long Title, Clauses 1, 2, 5, 13, 17, 21, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 38, 49, 53, the addition of a new clause, 54, and the renumbering of clauses 54 and 55.

He said the parliamentary special select committee (PSSC) studying the Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill 2022 on Oct 5 tabled a report containing details of its proceedings and recommendations to improve the bill, generally known as the Generational End Game (GEG) bill.

"On the whole, the PSSC met five times in a mature and harmonious way with a bipartisan spirit to fine-tune the provisions in the bill.

"PSSC members have also by consensus agreed on the statement report and proposed amendments that need to be made to this bill," he said in a statement yesterday.

Khairy, who is the PSSC chairman, said the matters deliberated on and decided by the committee included issues regarding the constitution, the need for a new act to regulate smoking products and activities involving smoking products.

He said the committee also discussed and fine-tuned the limits of enforcement and penalties for offences under the bill, as stipulated in its terms of reference.

The first and second readings of the bill were made on July 27 and Aug 1 respectively while a motion to refer it to the PSSC was introduced on Aug 2 and approved by the Dewan Rakyat. 

The PSSC comprises 13 MPs who were nominated by their own parties.

Khairy voiced hope that with the consensus achieved by the bipartisan committee, other MPs would also give their support to the bill when the debate resumes, so that a decision can be made in the interest of public health in the country.

The bill, among others, prohibits individuals born in 2007 and after from smoking tobacco products or tobacco replacement products, as well as from using smoking gadgets.