KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has authorised 189 enforcement officers such as auxiliary police, local authorities and other agencies under Section 3 of the Food Act 1983 (Act 281) to ensure public compliance with the ban on smoking in prohibited places.
Its Deputy Minister, Lukanisman Amang Sauni said this process will continue under the Smoking Products Control Act for Public Health 2024 (Act 852) besides community empowerment through the involvement of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), professional bodies and others will continue.
"Until now there are 189 enforcement officers and auxiliary police, namely 95 enforcers from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), 77 auxiliary police from Sunway Group and 17 auxiliary police from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Sungai Buloh have been delegated to ensure public compliance,” he said at a question and answer session at Dewan Negara, today.
He was replying to Senator Dr Noraini Idris' supplementary question on enforcement collaboration by the ministry with related parties to curb smoking in public places.
Commenting further, Lukanisman said the creation of a special space outside the restaurant area, which is a place gazetted as a no-smoking area, must obtain the permission of the local authority.
He said that the Housing and Local Government Ministry had on January 20, 2020 issued a circular that if any party wants to set up a smoking area, it must be built according to the conditions set and must obtain the permission of the local authority.
"The main purpose is to ensure that only basic facilities such as cigarette ashtrays are provided to prevent smokers from staying in those places for a long time; the Health Ministry is involved in the implementation by local councils to ensure that all technical inputs as outlined in this circular are complied with," he said.
He said the provision of smoking areas outside the gazetted area is to ensure compliance with the smoking ban regulations in eating places as stipulated under Regulation 11(1)(d), Tobacco Product Control Regulations (PPKHT) 2004 under the Ministry of Health remains adhered to for protect people from the dangers of smoke or vapour of vape products.
Besides, it is to ensure the cleanliness of public places from the widespread disposal of cigarette butts and to create a denormalization of smoking culture among the community, especially minors by placing these smoking places away from public view.- Bernama
