KUALA LUMPUR: Several associations representing restaurants and sundry goods operators have called on the government to conduct more thorough engagements with all stakeholders before moving on with the Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill 2022.
Reiterating that they were not against the generational endgame (GEG) law, they said there were practical concerns facing operators running a legitimate business.
Malaysia-Singapore Coffeeshop Proprietors’ General Association president Wong Teu Hoon said the Parliament's Special Select Committee (PSSC) for the GEG Bill should include the association for engagement and consultation.
“Many of our members rely on cigarette sales for some small earnings as everyone is still struggling to recover after two years of severe business disruptions.
“As legitimate cigarette sellers, our concerns and plights should be heard, too.
“But until now, we have been consulted and not received any briefing on the implementation of the proposed measures as reported in the media,” he said in a press conference Thursday (Sept 22).
Reiterating its support for the GEG Bill, Wong said, “We are supportive of the Health Ministry’s agenda in reducing the number of smokers in the country. All we asked is to be heard and have our concerns considered.”
“A comprehensive consultation, briefing and impact study should be carried out with retailers to improve the GEG Bill,” he said.
Malaysian Indian Restaurants Owners Association (Primas) secretary N. Shanmugam echoed Wong’s call, adding that cigarette sales make up about 30% of operators’ revenue and it was an important income especially when most operators were still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said members were concerned about the implementation when the Bill became law, as in who would be on the frontline to check and enforce it on the ground.
“Retail operators will be the ones expected to conduct the identity checks, which in turn would cause tension because not everyone is comfortable with sharing their personal details with strangers.
“Since the Bill does not allow those born after 2007 to work in shops that sell cigarettes, the operating costs for these small businesses will increase and cause many to go out of business.
“The GEG will impact the revenue of retail shops at a time when we are facing an unprecedented global recession,” he said.
Federation of Sundry Goods Merchants Association of Malaysia chairman Hong Chee Meng also highlighted the worker shortage of many operators.
“The operators should not be targeted to double up as enforcers when the law comes into effect.
“We need more engagement with the relevant ministries, and a platform to share our plight,” he said.
Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma) president Datuk Jawahar Ali Taib Khan said that being dragged to court was the last thing operators wanted in the case if the GEG law was challenged legally.
“Many other aspects ought to be ironed out before this finally becomes a law,” he said.
The Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill 2022, which was tabled for first reading in Parliament by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin on July 27, seeks to make it illegal for anyone born on and after Jan 1, 2007 to buy cigarettes and other tobacco and vaping products.
Currently, anyone who is 18 and above can buy such products.
The Bill is expected to be tabled again during the next Parliament sitting in October.
