Cabinet collectively responsible for GEG Bill decision, says Azalina

KUALA LUMPUR: The Cabinet is collectively responsible for the decision to postpone the tabling the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill 2023 in Parliament to be passed, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

"All Ministers have the prerogative as members of the cabinet to present their views on any matter including the paper on this bill but ultimately the cabinet is collectively responsible over the decision made," said the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) in a statement on Wednesday (Nov 15).

"By the way, who is 'the gaffer', if I may ask?" she added.

On Tuesday (Nov 14), former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin accused two ministers from the unity government and a 'gaffer' for blocking the Bill aimed to ban smoking for those born in 2007 and after.

Khairy, who was the chief architect of the Bill, claimed on Instagram that the two ministers were Azalina and Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing.

"The big opponents of the GEG (generational end game bill) in the Cabinet are the law minister, tourism minister and the gaffer," he said.

Azalina added that the Attorney General was the legal advisor to the Cabinet according to Article 145(2) of the Federal Constitution.

"Hence, as the legal advisor to the cabinet, the Attorney General's Chambers presented their legal views on the GEG Bill during the Cabinet meeting," she said.

Article 145(2) of the Federal Constitution stipulates that it shall be the duty of the Attorney General to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or the Cabinet or any minister on such legal matters, and to perform such other duties of a legal character, as may from time to time be referred or assigned to him by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or the Cabinet, and to discharge the functions conferred on him by or under this Constitution or any other written law.