KUALA LUMPUR – Thinking of picking that outside seat in restaurants so you can smoke and dine at the same time?
Smokers may be disappointed to learn that there may be no more lighting up of cigarettes in restaurants, even when dining outside.
The Health Ministry in Dewan Negara last September 6 has announced that they are pushing all open air restaurants to be gazetted as non-smoking areas from December onwards.
This was said to be part of the government’s initiative to protect the public from the effects of secondhand cigarette smoke.
Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye said the decision is Malaysia’s commitment as a member state to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and adheres to the guidelines under Article 8 of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“Those who go against this rule can be fined RM10,000 or jailed not more than two years,” he was quoted by Malay daily newspaper Utusan Malaysia.
Besides this, Lee had also proposed that the Parliament’s smoking room be shut down completely in October, in an attempt to turn the entire August House a smoke-free zone.
The proposal would be carried out if there were no objections that would crop up on the matter.
Currently, there are 23 areas designated smoke-free under the Control of Tobacco Product (Amendment) Regulations 2017.
These include entertainment centers, theatres, elevators, public toilets, air-conditioned eateries, public vehicles, airports, government premises and any area used for the purpose of assembly.
