Abon Kip
KUCHING: Smokers are reminded that puffing away in public parks is an offence because they have been gazetted as no-smoking zones.
The Department of Health is now on a drive to educate and remind members of the public that all public parks in the country have been gazetted as no-smoking zones from Jan 1 this year.
Its officer Abon Kip from the Tobacco Enforcement and Control Unit said they started the Education Enforcement operation on Feb 15 and the operation would go on for three months.
“We have despatched our staff to public parks to meet the public on the matter and to educate them especially smokers and after the period of three months we give notice or compounds to offenders,” he said at the press conference on ‘No-Smoking Zones at Public Parks’ chaired by Datuk Bandar of Kuching City North Datuk Abang Abdul Wahap Abang Julai at Reservoir Park, Jalan Budaya here yesterday.
“All public parks under the jurisdiction of Kuching South City Council (MBKS), Kuching North City Commission (DBKU), Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) and Bau District Council and the rest will have No-Smoking Zone notices,” he said.
Abon said areas declared smoke-free zones are the open space, walking path and playground.
After the three months, offenders will be given a notice or be compounded by the ministry up to RM50 or brought to court where they can be fined up to RM10,000 or sentenced to two years in jail
“During this period of three months we will go to public parks and remind smokers not to smoke in the area and we also distribute leaflets to educate them on the health hazard of smoking and tell them that there is a designated area in the park where they can smoke,” he elaborated.
Acknowledging that smoking in public places is an old issue, medical officer Dr Norzam Azihan recalled that there was a big campaign in 2010 in the country on giving up smoking, called ‘Tak Nak’.
“Smoking is hard to overcome and we spent millions of ringgit from that year until now on how to control and stop the bad habit but now we have yet to see positive result or impact,” he lamented.
According to her, statistics showed that last year there was a 25.4 per cent increase in number of smokers in the country, from 22.3 per cent in 2015.
“To fight smoking is very difficult, especially when done alone.We need a lot of agencies to be involved in the campaign,” she added.