KUALA LUMPUR – The contentious generational end game (GEG) tobacco bill, that seeks to outlaw smoking among those born 2007 onwards, will not be put up for a vote in the Dewan Rakyat this sitting.
Instead, the proposed legislation formally known as the Control of Tobacco Product and Smoking Bill 2022 will be referred to a parliamentary special select committee (PSSC) for further deliberation, after being debated at the policy stage.
An opposition lawmaker, who requested anonymity, said voting is most likely to take place in the next sitting in October, by when the bill would have been hopefully reviewed and amended to obtain the support of all MPs.
“Basically, the health minister (Khairy Jamaluddin) will give a summary speech at the end of the debate at the policy stage and will announce the formation of the select committee," the lawmaker told The Vibes today.
According to the lawmaker, the committee will comprise representatives from major parties across the divide.
“This is to ensure concessions are given, and the PSSC will make sure such concessions are properly reflected in the wordings of the document.
“The select committee has been mandated to prepare the best version of the bill, to be supported by all lawmakers. We want to make sure it is the first agenda of the upcoming October sitting.”
This confirms an earlier report by The Malaysian Insight quoting sources as saying that the bill will be referred to a PSSC.
Although there is support for the GEG objective to ban smoking for future generations, MPs are divided over some clauses on enforcement, saying that powers given to enforcement officers are too wide-ranging
This includes body searches and entry into premises to conduct raids and seizures without a warrant.
This will be the second time in as many Dewan Rakyat sittings that a bill will be referred to a PSSC before being voted on after a similar decision was made for the constitutional amendment to ban party hopping in April.
Khairy has already made concessions, yesterday announcing during the bill’s second reading, that the standard fine for individuals will be reduced from RM5,000 to RM500, and to do away with body searches against those aged below 18.
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also yesterday submitted a letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob urging for the GEG bill to be referred to the PSSC first. – The Vibes, August 2, 2022
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