THE government has dropped provisions related to the tobacco and vape ban based on age from the updated the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill which was tabled today.
The third reiteration of the bill has dropped the measures meant to prevent anyone born from 2007 onwards from buying tobacco or nicotine products, giving the bill its Generational End Game (GEG) title and was finally tabled by Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa (picture).
The tabled version of the bill prohibits the sale of tobacco products, smoking substances or substitute tobacco products or providing any services for smoking to a minor in general.
“Any person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding RM500 or be ordered to perform community service pursuant to the Criminal Procedure Code or the Child Act 2001,” read the bill.
Dr Zaliha has proposed for the second reading of the bill to be tabled tomorrow after retracting the previous version of the bill, which was tabled in June.
On Nov 15, her predecessor Khairy Jamaluddin accused several ministers of blocking the legislation aimed at making it illegal for those born after 2007 to buy or consume nicotine products.
Khairy, the architect of the original bill, said the cabinet’s handling of the matter was “absolutely shambolic”.
It was also reported that Attorney-General Tan Sri Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh was of the opinion that the GEG provisions were “unconstitutional” because they violated Article 8 of the Federal Constitution which guaranteed equality before the law — TMR /pic BERNAMA