KUALA LUMPUR – The country’s leading health advocates and practitioners have called on members of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) overseeing the fine-tuning of the new cigarette bill to declare that they are free of any influence of the tobacco industry.
Dr Murallitharan Munisamy, spokesperson for a health coalition comprising 235 non-governmental organisations, said they were disappointed that the Generational Endgame (GEG) bill was not passed during the recently concluded session of Parliament.
He said the priority now is to ensure that the fine-tuning of the bill, which restricts the purchase and consumption of tobacco by those born after 2007, does not placate or cater to the tobacco industry.
“We urge all parliamentarians, especially those in the PSSC, to declare that they do not have any involvement with vested interest from the cigarette or e-cigarette industry.
“We even dare them to sign SDs (signatory declarations) to say that they are not representing vested interest,” he said.
Lamenting that “the ship has set sail”, he said the debates on the bill in the Dewan Rakyat were largely derailed due to “misinformed” arguments. He said that these were counter-narratives often peddled by tobacco industry lobbyists who harp on basic and equal rights.
“The issue of basic and equal rights has been argued repeatedly since the start of the debate session but they (lawmakers) play deaf when explanations were given on the matter (by the health minister),” he said.
“The issue of authority was also questioned to a point where many think that enforcement agencies have malicious intent,” he added, noting that there were concerns raised about consumers being tracked and actions being taken against them.
“Why are such questions being raised? Or are these scripts given by them who have vested interest in the cigarette and e-cigarettes?”' he asked.
Pass bill first, do fine-tuning later
Dr Murallitharan, who is the managing director of the National Cancer Society Malaysia, also called on the PSSC to invite credible experts to give their views on a public health perspective rather than allowing “experts” with vested interest to do so.
“There is no such thing as vape or e-cigarettes experts whose only aim is to make profits,'” he said.
On Tuesday, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced that the bill will be referred to a PSSC for fine-tuning after the intense debate had erupted over the bill.
Among the main concerns raised is that the bill will give broad enforcement powers to the authorities, enabling stop-and-search operations as well as seizures without warrants.
Dr Murallitharan said coalition members are well aware of concerns surrounding enforcement powers under the bill, but stressed that they prefer the bill to be passed first with further fine-tuning done after.
Weighing in on the matter was Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations’ (Fomca) tobacco control coordinator Muhammad Sha’ni Abdullah who said that the broad enforcement powers were mainly to effectively penalise suppliers or sellers rather than the consumers.
“The law is meant to help the authorities effectively deal with the suppliers rather than going after the consumers. There are already hasher laws in effect with regards to public health violations so the mechanism is already there,” he said.
Previously, Khairy had explained that amendments to the GEG bill have been made to tone down penalties.
The amendments include the reduction of fines from RM5,000 to RM500, and court-mandated community service as an option in lieu of a fine, Khairy had said.
The bill has also done away with body searches for anyone under the age of 18.
Additionally, there will be no punishment imposed for possession for all GEG-related offences, he said.
The PSSC will be chaired by Khairy. Other members include MPs on the government bench, namely Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim (Baling-BN), Datuk Mohd Nizar Zakaria (Parit-BN), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (Pengerang-BN), Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (Masjid Tanah-PN), Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (Pasir Mas-PN) and Lukanisman Awang Sauni (Sibuti-GPS).
From the opposition, the committee members are Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen (Bandar Kuching-PH), Sivarasa Rasiah (Sg Buloh-PH), Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (Kuala Selangor-PH), Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau (Tuaran-PH), Datuk Darell Leiking (Penampang-Warisan) and Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir (Jerlun-Pejuang). – The Vibes, August 5, 2022
