The government today labelled a costly RM100 million anti-smoking campaign a failure, with the number of female smokers doubling since its launch last year, reports said today.

Health Minister Chua Soi Lek said the five-year " Tak Nak " (Don't Want) campaign launched in February 2004 had failed to curb smoking and that it would be reviewed.

"In fact, the number of female smokers has doubled," Chua was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times .

The Tak Nak campaign, with a RM20 million budget allocated for its first year, has featured numerous billboard and media advertisements but earned criticism from Malaysians for being lavish and ineffective.

The minister also rejected a university study showing 1.1 million Malaysians had given up smoking since 1996, saying the statistics showed otherwise.

"When we checked, the figure is not correct. We counterchecked with cigarette companies, and they admitted the number of smokers had actually gone up," he said.

A National Health Survey last year showed 23.2 percent of adult Malaysians smoked, while separate surveys have shown nearly 25 percent of young people smoke.

The government has recently moved to crack down on smoking, with decisions to feature large health warnings and graphic photos on cigarette packs.

Ban deferred

However, Chan announced an anticipated ban on 14-stick cigarette packs - said to appeal to young people due to their lower cost - would be deferred until 2010 to help tobacco farmers in several states.

"That decision was made because tobacco farmers in Terengganu and Kelantan have been unable to move on to other cash crops and they need a longer period for adjustment," he said.

Anti-smoking groups blasted the delay, saying it was contrary to the government's campaign to curb smoking.

"The continued sale of the 'kiddy' packs will only increase the prevalence of adolescent smokers," Syed Mohamad Aljunid, president of the Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control, was quoted as saying by the Star daily.

Malaysia also decided this month to ratify the International Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.