TAIPING, Jan 30 — Putrajaya has no plans to ban cigarettes in the country, said Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye.

He was responding to questions of why the government did not ban cigarettes outright if it were serious about curbing smoking.

“Tell me a country in the world which has banned cigarettes? Even the countries which practice dictatorship and communism could not ban cigarettes.

“We as a country that practices democracy will not ban cigarettes as we respect the rights of the smokers. However, at the same time, we also respect the rights of the non-smokers, that’s why we imposed the smoking ban instead of the cigarette ban,” he told reporters after attending the public forum on rabies at Larut Matang and Selama health office here.

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He then reiterated that the expanded smoking ban that incorporated outdoor eating areas this year was not about revenue.

Dr Lee also said the regulation was still less strict than countries such as Singapore, which he said only permitted smoking in designated zones.

The Health Ministry banned smoking at all restaurants including open-air areas on January 1, but will not penalise offenders for a six-month grace period.

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