Dr Sim speaks to journalists at the function. — Photo by Tan Song Wei
KUCHING: All states in Malaysia will enforce the smoking ban at all eateries tomorrow – except for Sarawak.
It is learnt that the Sarawak Health Department will call for a meeting with various stakeholders on Jan 9 to discuss the ban.
According to Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, only after that meeting could they figure out the next course of action with regard to the new policy.
“We don’t know yet. There will be a meeting on Jan 9, called by the Health Department of Sarawak,” he said after attending a function here yesterday.
Dr Sim, who is also Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president, added that the meeting would involve stakeholders such as coffee shop operators.
Teo Giat Liew
Contacted by The Borneo Post, Kuching Coffee Shop and Restaurant Owners Association chairman Teo Giat Liew confirmed that the association’s secretariat did receive a notice on the Jan 9 meeting. He could not be certain when the notice was issued, but said his secretary informed him about it over a week ago.
“Our association was not the only one given the notice because our counterparts from Bintulu also received it. We are not sure what to expect from the meeting, but I believe it is to discuss the new policy,” he said.
According to Teo, the Sarawak Health Department would notify various stakeholders the venue for the upcoming meeting.
He said although the notice did state a venue, the department had informed them of a change due to reasons that he did not know about.
“Perhaps they (Health Department) need a venue with larger space to accommodate more people. I cannot recall the original venue now, and the notice isn’t with me.” Teo said his association would send at least five representatives to the meeting.
When prompted for the stand of the association with regard to the smoking ban, he said the association would call its annual general meeting (AGM) on New Year’s Day.
He added that the AGM, set to take place at the association’s premises along Jalan Petanak here at 2pm, would deliberate the issue.An attempt by The Borneo Post to obtain details of the meeting from Health Department Sarawak director Dr Jamilah Hashim had been unsuccessful.
Malaysia is expected to enforce the smoking ban at all eateries – air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned – including restaurants, coffee shops, open-air hawker centres and street stalls, beginning Jan 1 next year.
This was announced byDeputy Minister of Health Dr Lee Boon Chye during a forum at the Asian Institute of Medical, Science and Technology in Kedah in October this year.
Under the ban, anyone caught smoking at the prohibited areas could face a fine of RM10,000, while any eatery found not complying with the ban could be fined RM2,500.
The smoking ban is Malaysia’s commitment as a member state of the Framework Convention
on Tobacco Control, adhering to the guidelines under Article 8 of the World Health Organisation.
Malaysia’s present Control of Tobacco Product (Amendment) Regulations 2017 prohibits smoking in 21 areas including hospitals, public toilets, lifts, government premises as well as air-conditioned shops and offices.