As a smoker, I find the Human Resources Ministry's proposal to ban smoking at workplaces , both ludicrous and unnecessary.

There are probably three million or so smokers in the country and I believe that the majority of them generally appreciate and abide by 'No smoking' signs posted at various public places particularly at hospitals, clinics and air-conditioned eateries.

If I am not mistaken, there is an existing law (passed a few years back), called the 'Control of Tobacco Product Regulations of 1993' stipulating clearly, among others, a prohibition on cigarette advertisements in the media and the banning of smoking in the places mentioned above.

In the past, some have labelled government moves as being 'knee-jerk reactions', 'going over-board' or 'overkill'. I find these terms very relevant in the move to outlaw smoking at work places.

Smokers will in future be treated like criminals. We know clearly well that other vices like casino gambling and liquor drinking are given legitimacy over smoking.

What intrigues me is that the ministry has intentions to impose something that it does not have any clear understanding of . The Human Resources Minister was reportedly quoted: 'There is a general provision now under the Occupational Safety and Health Act that requires employers to maintain air quality.

'However, it does not state what constitutes good air quality and what kind of standards we should have'.

Let's assume that the guidelines are enforceable. Does Department of Occupational Safety and Health (Dosh) have enough enforcers to go around all the offices in the country? Knowing that our country is 'tak boleh' in enforcement, why come out with rhetorical laws that the government machinery cannot implement?

We have failed, for example, in ensuring a clean and safe environment what with the number of polluted rivers and the deteriorating quality of water flowing through our household taps. Has the Human Resources Ministry successfully reduced the number of industrial accidents in the country?

Is there sufficient and efficient enforcement to ensure safety in the agricultural sector for adults and children exposed to pesticides, herbicides and other toxic chemicals during work? What about noise pollution in the manufacturing industry like the textile sector?

I suggest the ministry focus on where its roles and responsibilities should really be rather than coming out with more laws and guidelines it cannot enforce efficiently. We as Malaysians have more than enough laws and acts governing us from our bedrooms to our boardrooms.

We are smacked with guidelines from the moment we are drawn out from our mothers' wombs to our graveyards. No wonder Malaysians are stressed. Perhaps, the Human Resources Ministry should conduct a survey on why 20 percent of our population are mentally disturbed, as reported by the media earlier this year.

More appropriately, the ministry should study how to increase the number of psychiatrists in our country because we do need them. Also, please let us have some guidelines on how to minimise government ministries from coming out with frivolous laws and guidelines.

Something is wrong with our government system in having top decision-makers with a 'straight jacket' mentality. They believe that guidelines and punishments will solve all our social ills and negative behavior.

My last challenge - let's ban the sale of cigarettes just before the next general election.