Bersatu is not in favour of a new bill that was aimed at further curbs on smoking cigarettes to avoid repeating past mistakes.
In a statement today, Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan said the Najib Abdul Razak administration had increased tobacco taxes in 2015, which resulted in consumers shifting to illicit cigarettes.
"When the wrong (policy) was applied to legal cigarettes, it resulted in Malaysia becoming a country with the highest (prevalence) of illicit cigarettes.
"If we want to stem this trade and protect public health, don't repeat the mistakes of the past. Don't do things that make smugglers happy.
"Efforts to reduce the number of smokers are good and must be supported, but introducing additional curbs on legal cigarettes is repeating past mistakes," he said.
Wan Saiful, a former think tank head, said a policy "quick win" could be achieved by aggressive enforcement of illicit cigarettes, such as that demonstrated in March by the Finance Ministry through its "multi-agency task force".
"Currently, we are losing between RM5 billion to RM6 billion per annum from illicit cigarettes which are not being taxed. This amount can be used for all sorts of things.
"If there is effective enforcement, we are killing two birds with one stone. We can protect public health by getting rid of illicit cigarettes and increase revenue through legal cigarettes," he said.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has repeatedly stated that he wishes to table a bill during the July Dewan Rakyat sitting that will ban Malaysians born after 2005 from ever being able to buy or consume smoking products.
Khairy had described this as a "generational endgame". Similar laws exist in New Zealand.
"The end for smoking and tobacco. There are those who believe that banning is never the solution, but I am determined to make this work," he said during a speech at the National University of Singapore on June 2. - Mkini
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