We’ll exclude ‘unconstitutional’ GEG for now, says Zaliha

 

Health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa tabled a revised version of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat earlier today. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has had to remove the Generational End Game (GEG) provisions from the amended version of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill as they are unconstitutional, says health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa.

However, in a briefing with the media at Parliament here, Zaliha insisted that the ministry has not scrapped the provisions which seeks to ban smoking and vaping among those born after 2007.

“If we feel there is a need to look at it again… If there is a need for the GEG in the future… We might bring it back then,” she said.

“I’m not setting a timeframe, but we shouldn’t just forget about it (GEG). We are (just) putting it aside for now and focusing on the priority (passing the bill).”

Earlier today, Zaliha tabled a revised version of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat.

Zaliha told the House that the second reading will take place tomorrow.

She also retracted the previous version of the bill, which was tabled in June and included the GEG provisions.

Recently, Attorney-General Ahmad Terrirudin Salleh described the GEG provisions as being unconstitutional for offending the right to equal protection under the law.

While certain quarters have claimed that the health ministry was under pressure by lobbyists not to include the GEG provisions, Zaliha stressed that there were no other factors involved apart from the AG’s view.

“It’s the constitutional arguments (raised by the AGC) – that is the only factor.”

She added that the ministry must take the AGC’s view into account when dealing with legal matters.

First tabled by then health minister Khairy Jamaluddin in July last year, the bill was held up due to resistance from several MPs over its content.

At the time, the health parliamentary special select committee (PSSC) was asked to address these issues.

It was retabled in June after the formation of the unity government following the 15th general election but, once again, the bill was referred to the health PSSC.

The exclusion of the GEG contravenes recommendations from the health PSCC, which is chaired by Kuala Selangor MP and former health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad. - FMT