Health NGOs throw support behind tobacco bill, urge Parliament to pass it
A group of 43 health NGOs is throwing their support behind the Tobacco and Smoking Contraband Bill brought forward by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and urging the Parliament to pass the bill as soon as possible.
In a press conference at the National Cancer Society of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur today, several representatives of the NGOs also address the concerns raised by several MPs, including...
A group of 43 health NGOs is throwing their support behind the Tobacco and Smoking Contraband Bill brought forward by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and urging the Parliament to pass the bill as soon as possible.
In a press conference at the National Cancer Society of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur today, several representatives of the NGOs also address the concerns raised by several MPs, including Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and several Bersatu members, in regard to the bill.
Among the NGOs are the National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM), Pemadam, Malaysian Pharmacists Association, Malaysian Association of Adolescent Health, Consumers Association of Penang (CAP), and National Kidney Foundation.
Malaysian Pharmacists Association president Amrahi Buang noted that it’s hard for most smokers to break the habit as they have fallen into a deep dark hole of addiction.
"These people (smokers) have fallen into the deep dark hole of addiction, and it is hard for them to come out.
"If we look at this properly, this social habit started decades ago, and people mostly think smoking is stylish.
"And we all know that after addiction to cigarettes, comes an addiction to drugs," said Amrahi.
Pemadam secretary-general Burhanuddin Disa concurred, emphasising the fact that prevention is better than finding a cure when it comes to smoking.
"If you want to prevent it, you have to start with those aged 18 and under.
"This would turn the whole country to be smoke-free in the future," said Burhanuddin.
Meanwhile, CAP education officer N Subbarow expressed his disappointment with certain MPs.
"I am personally disappointed with MPs who are asking for proof that young people are becoming more addicted to cigarettes and vaping.
"From surveys that we have conducted, we have seen that more and more young people are inhaling vapes like they are lollipops.
"This is because they do not care about the nicotine that they are taking in," said Subbarow.
‘Generational endgame’
The Tobacco and Smoking Contraband Bill was due to be tabled at a cabinet meeting last weekend.
Dubbed a "generational endgame", Khairy's bill is aimed at reducing the burden on the public health systems as the cost of treating smoking-related diseases far exceeded the revenue the government generates from tobacco products.
Bernama reported Khairy as saying that the proposed implementation of the generational endgame provision in the bill was to protect Malaysia's young generation from picking up the smoking habit and getting addicted to tobacco products when they grow older, as well as to reduce the number of smokers in Malaysia to less than five percent by 2040.
"This will be able to reduce the risk of premature deaths, chronic diseases and treatment costs that have to be borne by the government due to smoking complications among the community," Khairy said, adding that the prevalence of smokers in Malaysia was still high at 40.5 percent among men and 20 percent among women.
Should the bill not be passed in Parliament, NCSM director Dr M Murallitharan said the NGOs’ next move would be to push for a total ban on cigarettes and vapes.
"Our next move would be to push towards an all-out ban.
"According to the survey conducted by CodeBlue, we know which MPs agree and disagree with the bill, which makes it easier for us to go over to those who disagree and convince them otherwise," said Murallitharan.
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