The Malaysian Insight

THE authorities fined 648 smokers who violated the smoking ban in the Unesco heritage city of George Town, parks, and other public places last year.

State health exco Dr Afif Bahardin said a total of RM48,430 was collected from the fines issued in the heritage city, public parks, hospitals, and education institutions.

“Penang’s enforcement against smokers at non-smoking areas has always been serious.

“Our enforcement operations have gone on as normal, with fines issued to offenders,” he told reporters today after visiting eateries near Komtar to remind them of the new nationwide smoking ban.

Before Putrajaya introduced the new smoking ban, which came into force on January 1 this year, Penang had already introduced smoking bans under the Penang Bebas Asap Rokok (Cigarette Smoke-Free Penang, or Penbar) campaign several years ago.

Penang banned smoking in the heritage city in 2015 and started enforcement the following year.

Smokers are only allowed to smoke at designated areas. If caught smoking, offenders face a minimum fine of RM250, up to RM5,000.

The state government, Afif said, was also planning to take the ban up a notch by implementing a statewide smoking ban within the year.

“We will have to decide exactly where we can allow smokers to smoke if we impose a statewide ban. The authorities will study this and hopefully implement the ban this year.”

The federal policy for eateries is an extension of what Penang has done locally. Under the new policy, smokers have to smoke 3m away from the premises.

Those caught violating this face a fine up to RM10,000 or two years’ jail. Eatery owners face a maximum fine of RM2,500 if they are caught allowing customers to smoke in their premises.

Malaysians have a six-month grace period to get used to this new regulation before the authorities start penalising offenders.

Dr Afif, who joined the state authorities on their visit to eateries to distribute no-smoking posters today, said the state health department, had visited 1,394 premises in Penang since New Year’s Day to explain the nationwide smoking ban at eateries.

“Warnings were given to 1,181 premises for allowing their customers to smoke in the premises.

“Authorities found that 719 of them have yet to put up no-smoking signs.”

Dr Afif said only seven smokers – both locals and foreigners – were given warnings when they were caught puffing away at eateries.

“Nothing in black and white was issued to the smokers. The authorities are still educating the people of the new policy at the moment.”

He said the people must understand the objective of the programme, which is to reduce society’s tolerance of smokers, adding that the public’s response has been good so far.

“We want to increase awareness among the public that they should not be secondhand smokers.

“The programme will be more meaningful if people dare to tell smokers not to smoke in no-smoking zones, rather than leaving enforcement to the authorities.

“It should not be a problem advising smokers not to smoke. I have done it before. Maybe people don’t dare to slap me because I am physically built. But it shouldn’t be a problem if we approach them properly,” Dr Afif said.

Last week, a nasi kandar restaurant worker in Selangor was slapped by a customer after he told the latter not to smoke. – January 7, 2019.