Dr Kelvin Yii
KUCHING: Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii has urged Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian not to delay in adopting policies that are good for the people of Sarawak and not just “to oppose for the sake of opposing”.
Dr Yii said Sarawak’s autonomy is there to safeguard Sarawakians’ interest, and not to be used just as a show of power against the interest and detriment of the people.
“It is disappointing that Dr Sim chose to start the new year by playing politics over the health and safety of our fellow Sarawakians in choosing to put off the ban on smoking at eateries that will be enforced nationwide tomorrow.
“The ban will be enforced according to the Control of Tobacco Products Regulations(Amendment) 2018 where all eateries, whether air-conditioned or not, will be listed as ‘no smoking’ areas in Malaysia,” he said in a press statement today.
“I am all for the autonomy that we have in Sarawak and have even advocated for our Local Government Regulation 1963, and Local Authority Ordinance to be used with regards to the recommendations to provide a guideline on road signs next year to promote the use of Bahasa Malaysia.
“However, when it comes to policies that are beneficial for the state and also the safety and health of our people, the usage of such autonomous powers to block it is counterproductive and to a certain extent, an abuse of our powers,” he explained.
Dr Yii said this smoking ban at eateries will help reduce the adverse impact of second-hand smoke and will help improve the wellbeing of Malaysians as a whole.
According to him, in Sarawak itself, based on the National Health Morbidity Survey, there is an increase of the prevalence of smokers from 22.3 per cent in the year 1996 to 25.4 per cent in 2015. This was much higher than the national prevalence at 22.8 per cent.
What is even more worrying, he said, is that the problem of smoking among school students in Sarawak is one of the highest in Malaysia at 19.6 per cent, compared to the national average of 11.5 per cent. 65 per cent of these students started smoking as early as 14-years-old.
In Sarawak, lung cancer is the third highest form of cancer and 85 per cent of such cases are due to smoking, he added.
“That is why I agree that this matter should be considered under public health for the good of the people here in Sarawak. The fact of the matter is, the Federal Ministry of Health (MOH) has already expressed their intention of imposing the ban since May this year. From the official statement by MoH, they have conducted more than 60 consultative meetings and briefings involving all the respective states on the matter.
“That is why for Dr Sim to bring up the matter now and justifying his attempts to delay with the autonomous powers we have is unreasonable, detrimental and merely opposing for the sake of opposing. He had more than seven months since to discuss with his own relevant authorities and ministries to implement this policy, but yet only chose to have that meeting only on Jan 9, 2019.
Dr Yii said the reality is, this policy is not a new issue in Sarawak and is going to be implemented by the Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) effective Jan 1, 2019, adding that DBKU mayor Datuk Abang Abdul Wahap Abang Julai has recognised the importance and benefits of such policies and gone ahead to implement it without any delay for the benefit of the people.