New health minister wants to fine-tune GEG bill

An Ismail Sabri Yaakob-era bill to gradually criminalise smoking-related product sale and use would likely be tabled again in the Dewan Rakyat.

According to The Star, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa plans to fine-tune the bill for the first Dewan Rakyat meeting next year.

"As a doctor, I support the (policy)... I will need to sort things out, including the implementation and timeline," she said.

The bill was introduced by Zaliha's (above) predecessor Khairy Jamaluddin, who described the policy as a "generational end game".

The goal was to ban the sale and use of smoking-related products for those born in 2007 and onwards.

Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa

This policy covers both tobacco and vaping-related products.

Although the bill - Control of Tobacco Product and Smoking Bill 2022 - was tabled in July, it was met with resistance from many lawmakers.

Eventually, Putrajaya decided to refer the bill to a special select committee for further consideration.

There are concerns over how the law will be implemented, particularly how it would affect vulnerable groups who make up the majority of cigarette consumers. - Mkini