Ministry of Health is finalizing the order of the anti-smoking act, said the minister

PETALING JAYA: The final draft of regulations and orders under the Smoking Products Control Act for Public Health 2024 (Act 852) is currently under review by the Ministry of Health’s (KKM) legal adviser, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

FMT report, Dzulkefly said, the final research was done before the deed was finalized and taken up for the approval of the Attorney General’s Department for implementation.

“A follow-up briefing to anti-tobacco NGOs will also be held after the approval of the order and regulations under Act 852 obtained from the Attorney General’s Department,” he said, commenting on the latest developments in the introduction of the Smoking Products Control Act for the sake of public health.

The Smoking Products Control Act for the sake of public health, among other things, provides for the prohibition of the sale and purchase of tobacco products, smoking materials or tobacco substitute products as well as the provision of any smoking services to minors.

The anti-smoking bill (RUU) passed in the National Assembly last December was gazetted in February.

To ensure that enforcement runs smoothly, Dzulkefly said the Ministry of Health held discussions with the state health department and local authorities (PBT) between 22 February and 23 May.

“The focus of the discussion is the devolution of powers to the PBT (to implement rules and orders),” he said.

He said, the information tour with the ministry and other agencies as well as KKM enforcers throughout the country had also started in Kedah on June 9 last until next month.

According to him, the planning for the enforcement of the act also covers the additional staffing of enforcement officers, managing the appointment of authorized officers and the issuance of certificates of authority.

He said, for the implementation of education enforcement, the Ministry of Health will hold a mega operation in vape shops.

Previously, FMT reported the concern of health experts that the enforcement of the act might just be ‘chicken shit’ like what happened with the smoking cessation generation provision (GEG) which was dropped by the government.

The former president of the Malaysian Association of Public Health Physicians, Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar, said the announcement of the implementation of the act was previously made too public without a proper plan and assessment.