Anti-smoking poster drawing competition in KL breaks records for most entries

KUALA LUMPUR: An anti-smoking poster drawing competition here has entered the Malaysia Book of Records for most entries with a total of 24,248 submissions.

The 28th National Anti-Smoking Poster Drawing Competition has made it into the records for the "Most Anti-Smoking Poster Drawings" in a competition here.

The competition organised by Malaysian Medical Association’s (MMA) Action on Smoking and Health committee was presented the certificate on Wednesday (May 24).

The committee chairman Dr Murallitharan Munisamy said they have been steadfast in organising the competition yearly to spread awareness on the dangers of tobacco.

"With these many entries from different layers of the public all over the country, we are confident that these important messages have been taken to heart, and that the public fully support initiatives on tobacco control in Malaysia," he said in a statement on Thursday (May 25).

While MMA's president Dr Muruga Raj Rajathurai in the statement said the committee has for many years been actively involved in numerous anti-smoking campaigns in schools and for the public, educating on the dangers of smoking.

"To be recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records for its success in attracting record high participation in an anti-smoking poster competition is truly an outstanding achievement.

"We hope that the message of the campaign will be remembered by the thousands of school children who have participated or heard of the competition.

"Smoking causes numerous health issues, suffering and can result in death therefore the wise decision is to avoid it.

"It is estimated that 3,500 out of 10,000 deaths are related to smoking in Malaysia each year.

"It is a serious concern especially among our youths.

"According to the Health Ministry about 20% of teenagers smoke while 85% of those that do end up as addicts," he said.

The 28th National Anti-Smoking Poster Drawing competition themed We Need Food, Not Tobacco, opened for participation from Feb 9 to April 30 this year.