Dr Lee Boon Chye
SIBU: Compliance to the smoking ban at all eateries nationwide has been described as “very high” by Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye.
“No data yet … (but) compliance rate very high,” he told The Borneo Post when asked on the number of compounds issued since full enforcement of the smoking ban took effect on Jan 1.
He also assured that the Health Ministry would carry out more random checks on coffee shops amid complaints that some customers continued to puff away at these premises.
Dr Lee revealed that more than 5,000 health officers were deployed to eateries nationwide on Jan 1 to enforce the ban.
He added that offenders compounded on the spot would have to pay the fine at the local district health office, and not to the enforcement officers.
Eatery operators will also be compounded if they are found to have provided ashtrays at their premises, he reminded.
The fine for first-time offenders is RM250 – reduced to RM150 if settled within a month.
A second offense will result in the full RM250-fine, while third and subsequent offenders will be compounded RM350.
Failure to settle the compound within 90 days of the date of issuance will result in
offenders being charged in court where they can be fined RM10,000 or jailed up to two years.