SERDANG, May 31 — A new preventive law is in the works to control tobacco use in Malaysia, Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said today.
In his inaugural speech, Dzulkefly said that the ministry is working on a draft of the Control of Tobacco Product and Smoking Act, which aims to limit tobacco use in the country.
“The Act will control the use of tobacco products and other smoking-related materials. The new Act will also regulate electronic cigarettes and other future smoking products,” he said at UPM’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Science here today in conjunction with World No Tobacco Day.
However, Dzulkefly admitted that he had yet to fully review the Act, which is still being vetted by the ministry’s legal advisers.
The framework of the Act will be based on the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, he added.
Among the suggestions that will be reviewed for the Act will be raising the legal age limit from 18 to 21 years for the sale and purchase of tobacco.
Dzulkefly, however, assured that the price of tobacco and tobacco products will not be increased, in line with Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) pledge to ease the cost of living.
“However, the price (of tobacco products) will not go down, even with zero-rated GST (Goods and Services Tax).
“This is to ensure that the prohibitive price is there to help control tobacco use,” he said.
Dzulkefly, who has been health minister for less than three weeks, said he is still adjusting to his new role.
“Currently, I’m still holding strategic planning sessions with (Health) Ministry officials and deciding which aspects need to be revamped or improved.
“Of course, we are looking at ways to improve primary care services to ensure the people are well taken care of,” he said.
Dzulkefly added that he will also conduct a comprehensive audit of the ministry.
“We are looking at the procurement of medicine, for example, to ensure that we get value for money and also implementing good governance,” he said.
