KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control (MCTC) has urged the government to consider reintroducing the Generational End Game (GEG) provision under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 825).
Its president, Prof Dr Murallitharan Munisamy, said the proposal was part of efforts to strengthen protection for future generations amid continuing public health challenges.
He said there was room to consider additional measures such as the GEG policy to complement existing tobacco control initiatives.
"To ensure a balanced and effective approach, we propose a comprehensive review of the GEG, including stronger engagement with stakeholders and a phased implementation that prioritises public education.
"The government can also undertake comparative studies on countries such as the United Kingdom (UK), which has banned the sale of tobacco products to individuals born on or after a specified year," he said in a statement today.
Murallitharan said the approach adopted by the UK was gaining global attention as a sustainable long-term strategy to reduce the burden of smoking-related diseases.
The statement also quoted constitutional law expert Prof Emeritus Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi as saying controls on smoking were consistent with the principles of the Federal Constitution and that there was no absolute right for individuals to smoke or vape.
According to the statement, Shad Saleem said the age-based GEG approach was lawful and acceptable, with the main emphasis on effective implementation.
"This provides a basis for confidence that discussions on the GEG can continue constructively," Murallitharan said.
Provisions related to the GEG were dropped from the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill 2023 tabled in the Dewan Rakyat in late November 2023.
The bill was later passed after its second reading by then Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa. — Bernama
