Medical associations join chorus against ministry funding for smoking huts

Voices from the medical fraternity criticising the Housing and Local Government Ministry’s decision to allocate funds for the construction of smoking huts in public areas is continuing to grow.

The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) and NGO Medical Mythbusters Malaysia both raised further concerns upon the RM1 million allocation recently announced by minister Zuraida Kamaruddin for the purpose.

MMA today said the money would be better spent on more urgent requirements by the people, such as senior citizen-friendly facilities at housing areas.

“We should not in any way encourage the habit of smoking. The rise in health issues and deaths associated with smoking in the country is worrying and the Health Ministry should be applauded and supported for its efforts to discourage the habit of smoking among the rakyat.

“We should not also be encouraging restaurants and eateries to build smoking huts even if it is at their own expense,” MMA president Dr N Ganabaskaran said in a statement to Malaysiakini.

“The RM1 million can be better spent on more urgent needs of the rakyat such as age-friendly or child-safe facilities at housing areas that can be supported by the Housing and Local Government Ministry.”

Meanwhile, Medical Mythbusters, a coalition comprising public and private doctors in the country, said the move went against the spirit of World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), of which Malaysia is a signatory, to create a smoke-free environment for all citizens.

“The Health Ministry has gone through lengths to promote a healthy lifestyle to ease the burden on the current health system. Our health system is heavily subsidised and the way forward is to promote a healthy lifestyle rather than to cure.

“Tobacco smoke causes a heavy toll in our subsidised healthcare.

“Smokers take pride in paying the extra ‘sin tax’ for every box of cigarette they purchase. They say that they are contributing to the economy as well. But the true fact is, for every RM1 the country gains in tobacco tax, RM4 is needed to treat smoking-related illnesses in government healthcare facilities,” president and co-founder Dr Ahmad Firdaus Mohd Haris (below) said when contacted.

He thus questioned the need for taxpayers to support an initiative which appears to encourage smoking.

“Furthermore, the shelter designed does not seem to ensure non-smokers are not exposed to the harmful secondary smoke. It’s an open shelter. 

“Who will then shoulder the responsibility and costs of keeping the designated smoking areas clean?” his statement to Malaysiakini read.

He added that a group of more than 30 NGOs will hold a press conference tomorrow to express their displeasure over the move.

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported that several medical specialists have taken to social media to express their displeasure over the move.

Many believe the move would undermine the Health Ministry’s objectives in initiating the smoking ban in January, last year.

Zuraida had on Tuesday announced the RM1 million allocation for the construction of smoking huts in public areas, including commercial areas and food courts owned by local governments.

Each smoking hut, which must be located three metres away from eateries, must include seats, roof and a place to dispose of cigarette butts.

Private eatery owners will also be allowed to build their own smoking huts at their own expense, upon obtaining local council approval.

She said this was to support the Health Ministry’s ban on smoking in eateries and aimed to help smokers with the transition.

Those who smoke within three metres of these eateries risk being fined RM10,000 or jailed up to two years.

Smoking is already banned in many public areas, including parks, shopping malls, government buildings, schools, mosques, hospitals, and any indoor facility.

Members of the public can lodge reports of incidents of smoking to the authorities via WhatsApp to the number 010-8608949. - Mkini