PETALING JAYA: The postponement of a briefing session regarding the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill 2023 for MPS has raised doubts, says a medical experts group.
Medical Mythbusters Malaysia, which claims to be a group of medical experts serving as an alternative source of valid information related to the field, has urged Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa to explain the situation.
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"Does this mean the Bill will be delayed again? Why should it be delayed? There needs to be an explanation," it said in a Facebook post Monday (Oct 9),
"That's why... we mentioned (that) the role of the people (is) to put pressure so that there is transparency.
"It is hoped that (the minister) can explain the reason for the delay. As long as there is no law... our young people are free to be recruited to become nicotine addicts," it added.
Earlier, the Health Ministry issued a memo notifying that the briefing session with Parliamentarians on the Bill, scheduled for 5pm, has been postponed.
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It was reported earlier that the Bill was scheduled to be tabled for its second reading in Parliament on Tuesday (Oct 9).
Dr Zaliha had said the Bill received the nod from the Cabinet last week.
She said the Bill was tabled for its first reading on June 12 but was subsequently referred to the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Health for further scrutiny.
She added that the bipartisan PSSC had given its support to the Bill after scrutinising it with the aim of strengthening the proposed law.
In June last year, then health minister Khairy Jamaluddin attempted to address the issue of smoking and vaping among youths by introducing the Control of Tobacco Product and Smoking Bill 2022, or the generational end game (GEG) Bill.
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However, there was opposition to the proposed law during the first and second readings of the Bill made on July 27 and Aug 1 last year.
It was then referred to PSSC on Aug 2, with a report tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Oct 5 last year, but the proposed law ran aground when Parliament was dissolved five days later to pave the way for GE15.
It was learnt that fines for suppliers under the proposed GEG ban on tobacco and vaping would be increased under the current Bill although lower fines were proposed for buyers or consumers in the affected group.
A maximum fine of RM500 or community service was proposed as an alternative penalty under the Bill during its first reading in June for anyone born from 2007, without a criminal record, caught smoking or vaping, using or purchasing tobacco or vape products.
