Yii: Consensus reached with Khairy on GEG amendments

A parliamentary committee has reached a consensus with Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin on the Generational End Game (GEG) bill scheduled to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat tomorrow (Oct 6).

The Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Health, Science, and Innovation’s chairperson Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen said the consensus is on several major amendments to be included in the bill.

He said the amendments include removing a proposed clause to make it an offence for those born after Jan 1, 2007 to be in possession of cigarettes or related tobacco products.

The amendments also remove the power for authorities to enter private homes to enforce the proposed law, but it would still be an offence for youths born after the date to be caught smoking cigarettes or vaping.

The Bandar Kuching MP added that there will be no significant punitive action and no fines on children 18 years old and below, with community service the most likely punishment.

The Health Ministry and the PSSC will also review this law every five years.

Yii (above) told Malaysiakini that the review is to evaluate if the law improves the prevalence of smoking, causes any unintended consequences such as the proliferation of a black market, and if enforcement is being done properly.

Besides this, there will be a two-year educational period before the act is implemented, and a one-year grace period will be given after the act comes into effect, said Yii.

The act is expected to take effect in 2025 when those born after Jan 1, 2007 turn 18.

Yii said the main concerns about the bill included its constitutionality and the principle of equality before the law.

Victimising children and the poor as well as giving overreaching enforcement powers to the authorities such as empowering an enforcer to enter premises or conduct body checks without a warrant were also among the concerns.

“We also wonder whether the bill will work effectively since there is a black market, and instead of helping people stop smoking we may cause more to turn to it.

“We are also worried about the effects on children and whether the bill would victimise children and the poor,” he said.

Educational, grace period

Yii also said the minister and ministry will talk to stakeholders such as coffee shops as well as small and medium enterprises to formulate guidelines which include enforcement details such as first-time offenders getting a fine of only RM50.

“We are also proposing an educational period of two years before the implementation of the law and a one-year grace period to build awareness and give time for industries to get prepared,” he added.

The PSSC was set up on Aug 2 to streamline the proposed Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill (GEG) which was tabled by Khairy on July 27.

The bill seeks to ban the use, possession, and sale of cigarettes and vape products to those born after 2007, but no vote was taken on the bill during its second reading on Aug 2 with a motion passed instead to refer the matter to a bipartisan PSSC.

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