Passing of GEG Bill must take precedence

I REFER to the report “Tabling of GEG Bill delayed” (The Star, Oct 10), which quoted a Health Ministry source as saying that the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill 2023 will not be tabled for a second reading as scheduled due to Budget 2024 and other government affairs taking precedence in Parliament.

The health of the nation and especially our future generations cannot be treated as a matter of lesser importance or priority.

Passing the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill, also known as the Generational End Game (GEG) Bill, is of paramount importance at it will not only reduce disease and fatalities among smokers, but non-smokers will also not be affected by second-hand smoke.

The environment would also benefit as fewer cigarette butts and vaping devices would be discarded indiscriminately, thus reducing litter on our sidewalks, parks and beaches and pollution of rivers and oceans.

Much as there is justification in getting more input from more related parties to ensure that the Bill encompasses all that is fair and good, there is also no perfection in man-made rules. One of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect, so said Stephen Hawking, the late great English theoretical physicist and cosmologist.

So, pass the GEG Bill during this current Parliament sitting. If there are flaws, or some clauses can be improved or expanded, amendments can be made later.

The GEG legislation is pro-life, pro-health, pro-money saving, and pro-environment. No other law can possibly tick all these four boxes.

KOO WEE HON

Petaling Jaya