NGO proves health officials met with vape lobbyist, after ministry's denial

The Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control (MCTC) has claimed that one of the individuals, alleged to have attended a meeting with two senior officials from the Health Ministry, is a well-known office-holder of a tobacco product firm.

This comes after the ministry said that two individuals had introduced themselves as owners of a Putrajaya bicycle company and a printing company when visiting the two officials.

On Feb 2, the Health Ministry stated the purpose of the meeting was to discuss a proposal for organising a weight loss intervention programme, but nothing was agreed upon during the discussion.

“MCTC is always vigilant on all aspects of tobacco control, including efforts by various parties to mislead even officials of the ministry and subvert them into seemingly supporting pro-tobacco activities.

“For example, although the ministry has clarified that the representatives in the meeting had introduced themselves as from a bicycle and printing company, respectively; one of these individuals is a publicly known office-holder of a tobacco product organisation.

“The individual has even appeared in multiple media events and forums on national media,” MCTC said in a statement today.

The meeting was alleged to have violated Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).

Malaysia has been a member of the WHO FCTC since Sept 16, 2005.

Attached to MCTC’s statement were pictures of the individual, who is the president of a vape industry-related NGO.

According to the NGO’s Facebook page, it identifies itself as a non-profit organisation established for the purpose of regulating the Malaysian vaping industry.

It also aimed at raising public awareness in advocating for vaping to be a viable and “healthier alternative” to smoking.

Meanwhile, MCTC said the strategy of proposing weight reduction programmes, together with tobacco products, is a strategy used for decades.

It said that these strategies have been comprehensively documented in the WHO Tobacco Industry Interference - with Tobacco Control report.

On Feb 2, the Health Ministry said that it would not compromise with any official who violates the guidelines of Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and the related policies.

Article 5.3 of WHO FCTC stipulates that Malaysia, as a member state, must implement a public health policy regarding tobacco control and protect it from commercial interests and the tobacco industry's interests based on the country's laws.

The article sets the guidelines on control measures that must be established such as limiting any interaction with the tobacco industry, ensuring transparency of the interaction, rejecting partnerships and agreements with the tobacco industry and avoiding conflicts of interest for government officials and employees.

Draft a code of conduct

MCTC then lauded the Health Ministry for its “quick and prompt” investigations on the issue.

It also called on the government to draft and put into place a code of conduct for all public officials to ensure their compliance with the WHO FCTC.

“Such a code of conduct has been in place in many countries and is a clear indication of do’s and don’ts to all public officials in dealing with tobacco or tobacco-product industry related officials.

“As the lead stakeholder, Malaysia should lead these efforts to ensure that all public officials across the government are made aware of such a code of conduct when it is put into place, and ensure it is being adhered to,” it stressed.

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