Anti-smoking Bill passed in Dewan Rakyat

KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat finally gave its nod of approval to the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health 2023, after two days of debate.

Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa tabled the Bill for the third reading was then unanimously approved by the lawmakers via voice vote.

Earlier, Dr Zaliha presented the wind-up speech of the Bill after more than 20 MPs debated the Bill since Wednesday (Nov 29).

In her wrap-up speech, Dr Zaliha said there were plans to equip enforcement officers with body cameras to nab those flouting the anti-smoking laws.

The Lower House in the afternoon, resumed debate session for the Bill before Dr Zaliha presented her wrap-up speech.

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The Bill was debated by 26 Members of Parliament on Wednesday with the majority expressing disappointment on the removal of the generational endgame (GEG) provision being withdrawn from the Bill, claiming pressure from lobbyists from the tobacco industry.

Dr Zaliha proposed the Bill to be tabled for the second reading on Nov 29. The minister also retracted the previous version of the Bill which was tabled in June.

The original Bill which was known as the Contol of Tobacco Product and Smoking Bill 2022 was first tabled by then Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin last year.

It was later sent to the committee for fine-tuning due to resistance from several lawmakers.

This was done after the Bill was tabled for the first reading. It was then tabled for its first reading in June this year before being sent to the Parliamentary Special Select Committee(PSSC) for further review.

While tabling the motion to refer the Bill to the PSSC, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said that this was to allow the committee to make the necessary recommendations to further fine-tune the laws for the GEG.