No one above the law, Dzulkefly says after minister ‘caught’ smoking at eatery

 

Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 will be enforced indiscriminately. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad today promised that the law would be strictly enforced after foreign minister Mohamad Hasan was purportedly caught smoking at an eatery.

“No one is above the law,” Dzulkefly said on X in response to a photo allegedly of Mohamad smoking at the food outlet.

He added that the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852), which came into effect on Oct 1, would be enforced without double standards.

However, he did not confirm if the person in the photo was indeed Mohamad, or reveal what specific action had been taken.

FMT has reached out to Dzulkefly and Mohamad for further comments.

Under the Control of Tobacco Product (Amendment) Regulations 2018, anyone caught smoking in a no-smoking area can be fined up to RM10,000 and face up to two years’ imprisonment, while business owners who fail to display a no-smoking sign may be fined up to RM3,000 or sentenced up to six months in jail.

Section 16 of Act 852 meanwhile states that anyone who smokes in an area declared as a non-smoking zone can be fined up to RM5,000. - FMT