MOH not victimising vape operators by raiding them - Dr Noor Azmi

The Health Ministry (MOH) is not oppressing electronic cigarette or vape operators following several series of raids and seizures conducted by the authorities earlier.

Deputy Health Minister Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali said raids on vaping premises were not recklessly carried out and were conducted for a specific reason based on existing regulations and laws.

"No one wants to oppress (vape entrepreneurs), we want to keep the people healthy.

"I believe the action (raid on the vaping premises) was done for certain reasons," he said when met by reporters after officiating a first aid training programme and the use of an automatic external defibrillator (AED) at Taiping Zoo and Night Safari Pavilion today.

Recently, the Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce (MVCC) secretary-general Ridhwan Rosli was reported as saying that the ministry’s raids and confiscations on the vape industry in the Klang Valley had an impact on small and medium-sized entrepreneurs which involved losses of millions of ringgit.

Ridhwan was reported as saying that the raids and confiscations appeared to put pressure on the industry because the industry did not agree with the ministry’s proposal to equate vaping with cigarettes and the proposal of the Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill 2022 and Generation End Game (GEG).

Meanwhile, Noor Azmi said the Health Ministry will make a decision on the relaxation of wearing face masks in the country.

He said the decision would be announced by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin soon.

"This is because the case data (Covid-19) has shown a decrease recently and we are also close to normal life," he said.

Earlier, National Rehabilitation Council chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin said the decision on the use of face masks will be decided by the Health Ministry as the council had asked Noor Azmi to look into the need for face masks if the Covid-19 situation gradually improves.

On AED, he said the ministry recommends all tourist and recreational spots provide the device for public use.

Noor Azmi said the availability of AED can reduce the risk of sudden death during emergencies such as fainting, drowning or heart attack.

"I very much welcome the effort (providing AED at tourist spots) because many sudden deaths occur after playing badminton, football or running,” he said.

- Bernama