KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 — The Health Ministry (MOH) has authorised 189 enforcement officers, including auxiliary police, the local authorities, and other agencies under Section 3 of the Food Act 1983 ( Act 281) to ensure public compliance with the ban on smoking in prohibited places.
Its Deputy Minister Datuk Lukanisman Amang Sauni said this process will continue under the Smoking Products Control Act for Public Health 2024 (Act 852), besides community empowerment through the involvement of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), professional bodies and others.
"Until now, there are 189 enforcement officers and auxiliary police, including 95 from the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), 77 auxiliary police from the Sunway Group, and 17 auxiliary police from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Sungai Buloh, who have been delegated to ensure public compliance,” he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Negara today.
Lukanisman was responding to Senator Noraini Idris' supplementary query on enforcement collaboration by the ministry with related parties to curb smoking in public places.
Commenting further, he said creating a special space outside the restaurant area, which is a place gazetted as a no-smoking area, must obtain permission from the respective local authority.
On January 20, 2020, the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) issued a circular stating that if any party wants to set up a smoking area, it must be built according to the conditions set and must obtain the local authority's permission.
"The main purpose is to ensure only basic facilities, including cigarette ashtrays, are provided to prevent smokers from staying in those places for a long time.
"MOH is involved in the implementation by the local authorities to ensure all technical inputs as outlined in this circular are complied with," Lukanisman said.
The provision of smoking areas outside the gazetted area is to ensure compliance with the smoking ban regulations in eating places as stipulated under Regulation 11(1)(d), Tobacco Product Control Regulations (PPKHT) 2004, under the Health Ministry, remains adhered to for protect people from the dangers of smoke or vapour of vape products.
It is also to ensure the cleanliness of public places from the widespread disposal of cigarette butts and to create a denormalization of smoking culture among the community, especially minors, by placing these smoking places away from public view.
— Bernama
