PUTRAJAYA: Businesses only need to cover up their tobacco product displays to comply with the new regulations, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
"Just cover the existing display areas with a screen to adhere to the display ban. There's no need for full refurbishment. The cost of adding a screen shouldn't reach RM6,000," he said after the national celebrations for Global Mental Health Day on Thursday (Oct 10).
The clarification follows concerns from sundry shop owners about the financial implications of implementing a display ban on tobacco and vape products, which they feared could total nearly RM300mil.
Previously, the Federation of Sundry Goods Merchants Associations of Malaysia had indicated that physical alterations to conceal tobacco and vape products could be costly for retailers.
The federation estimated that compliance with the display ban could cost each retailer as much as RM6,000, putting a considerable financial burden on small family-run businesses.
It added that this could potentially lead to a combined implementation cost of nearly RM300mil nationwide by April 1, 2025.
The ban on the display of these products is mandated by the Control of Tobacco Product Displays for Public Health Act 2024 and is set to come into effect on April 1 next year.
