20 fined for smoking offences

KOTA KINABALU: Twenty people have been booked by the health authorities for smoking in public areas, including at the hospital in Sabah’s Sandakan east coast district.

Sandakan health officer Dr Johari Awang Besar said the offenders were issued compound notices during an exercise by the district health office on Friday.

He said the operation, aimed at enforcing the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004, was carried out in order to protect the public from the risks of second-hand tobacco smoke.

He said the notices amounted to a compound of RM6,000, adding that the exercise took place at 56 premises in Bandar IJM, Bandar One Avenue, Bandar Midtown, Bandar Maju and the district hospital.