214 notices totalling over RM54,000 issued in anti-smoking ops

 

The health ministry said the no-smoking rule was not meant as a punishment but to protect passive smokers. (Bernama pic)

CYBERJAYA: The health ministry issued 214 notices totalling RM54,050 for smoking offences as part of the two-day Ops Tempat Makan that began yesterday.

Health deputy director-general (public health) Dr Norhayati Rusli said 110 notices were issued for smoking in eateries, 48 notices were for smoking in shopping complexes and 20 were for smoking in airports.

Another 29 notices were issued to owners of premises for failing to display no-smoking signs and five notices for failing to enforce the no-smoking rule at their premises, one each for underaged smoking and not displaying signs banning the sale of tobacco products to underaged individuals.

“The ministry would like to stress that the no-smoking rule is not to punish smokers but to avoid complications affecting passive smokers,” she told the media after the operation around Cyberjaya.

Norhayati added that the operation was conducted as the ministry took complaints about smoking in banned areas seriously. - FMT