Perak’s health authorities are urged to widen the scope of the smoking ban beyond the state’s public parks.
Non-governmental organisation leaders say more can be done to dissuade smoking in public areas as current rules are only limited to specific areas.
Ipoh City Watch president Dr Richard Ng welcomed the ban, adding it should not be limited to parks and open spaces.
With more than 20,000 Malaysians dying each year from tobacco-related diseases, Dr Ng said it would be interesting to see if the ban could be effectively implemented and how it could be used to educate smokers.
“The government must demonstrate a strong political will to ensure such ban is enforced.
“They must be seen as putting people’s health above the (interests of) industry or businesses,” said Dr Ng.
Under the ban that came into force on Thursday, offenders face a RM5,000 compound and could be dragged to court if they fail to pay the compound within the stipulated period.
If convicted, those who refuse to pay the compound could face a RM10,000 fine, two years prison or both.
Family Wellness Club president Mangaleswary Ponnampalam said the move was a step forward in the fight against the ill effects of smoking.
“I support the ban because people who frequent parks want fresh clean air where they can exercise or relax with their families.
“Smoking pollutes the air and non-smokers are subjected to secondhand smoke,” she said.
“There is a direct link between smoking and lung cancer. It is good to ban smoking in all public places.”
Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia president Puan Sri Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil said the ban would contribute to a healthier lifestyle.
“Being an environmentalist, I believe this is a way forward to reducing the ancillary pollutants in our air.
“The initiative should be done on a nationwide scale and expanded further to include other areas as well. Passive smoking is hazardous to our health and affects our environmental health.”
Since the beginning of the year, the state health department has issued 517 compounds to people caught smoking in restricted areas, collecting RM 62,970 in compound.
A total of 194 cases were brought to court, with RM9,750 in fines meted out in 25 cases.
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