The cabinet's decision for a complete ban on all forms of tobacco promotions announced by the Health Ministry last year was a move in the right direction as Malaysia signed on to a new international treaty, i.e. the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) this September.

There was surprisingly very strong and credible global support for tobacco control by member countries and NGO movements that led to the unanimous adoption of the FCTC at the World Health Assembly in May this year.

In anticipation of the FCTC outcome, the world's three major tobacco companies, namely Phillip Morris, now known as Altria, British American Tobacco (BAT) and Japan Tobacco (JTI) jointly conjured a so called 'International Tobacco Products Marketing Standards', which is a voluntary code to promote responsible marketing of their lethal products. Yet another of their industry gimmick to persuade national governments to allow the multinational industry to self-regulate rather than to be legislated.

The Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia applauds the elimination of tobacco advertisement in the local mass media. These spin doctored images used to flash bombard our TV screens and occupy most of our billboards and newspaper pages.

We welcome the government's attempt to make legislative adjustments to tighten our tobacco control laws, in line with the provisions of the FCTC. However lately, it is appalling to note that the unwary Malaysian public are once again targeted for more deceitful schemes of the tobacco industry.

Currently running on TV3 is the popular weekly game show, 'Sempurnakan Hari Mu'. Although there was no mention of any tobacco brand name, everyone knew that the series was allied with the kretek cigarette, Sampoerna A. This begs the question as to how the authorities could have allowed a programme that is contrary to the cabinet's tobacco control decision, be aired on national television?

The infamous Craig Davids concert in Penang, sponsored by JTI for the brand name Salem, was certainly one in bad taste. It not only breached the spirit of the government's effort and the FCTC, but being held on the Muslim's holy night of Nisfu Syaban was sheer insensitivity of everyone involved.

And now with the approaching Aidilfitri, Dunhill has lined up the walls of coffee shops and provision outlets with posters of their cigarettes and a picture of a child paying respect to his parent. This is yet another deplorable violation by the industry, for the manipulation of such image is against the advertisement code.

British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Bhd (BAT) recently awarded scholarships worth up to RM283,500 to 41 undergraduates, including nine medical students in local universities. This move is merely an image management exercise to try and create a positive persona to an ugly character.

Exploiting the vulnerability of students and silencing them with money is simply unspeakable. As a member of the medical fraternity we detest such actions and demand that the government, both the health and education ministries to put a stop to this.

The tobacco industry is obviously in much desperation to maintain the hefty profits they enjoyed all these years through capitalising on human sufferings. The government has an important and crucial responsibility to protect the well-being of our population, especially in the interest of our youths and children. We appeal for the sake of our future generation, stop tolerating the tobacco industry.