The no-smoking ban in Negri Sembilan comes into force in January 2020.
EATERY operators in Negri Sembilan are reminded to ensure their customers do not light up inside their premises from Jan 1 next year as they have been given ample time to comply with the ruling.
State health, environment, cooperatives and consumerism committee chairman S. Veerapan said patrons were advised that they would not be allowed to do so as provisions under rule 11(1)(d) of the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004 would be enforced then.
“It is important that both the operators and patrons comply with the ruling as we want to protect the people from tobacco smoke.
“We have been carrying out educational enforcement for some time now and it is time to enforce the law, ” he said.
Veerapan said enforcement officials made 11,127 visits to restaurants and other eateries since Jan 1 as part of a programme to educate the people on the new ruling in the state.
“During the visits, 3,414 warning notices were issued out of which 2,969 were given to operators and the remaining to patrons who were found smoking in their premises, ” he said.
He said enforcement officers would continue to educate eatery operators and the people that smoking was banned in eateries.
Veerapan also reminded eatery operators that they should put up no-smoking signs in their premises as required under the law.
“The no-smoking sign should be prominent. It will also be their responsibility to ensure their customers do not light up inside their premises, ” he added.
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