KUCHING: Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kevin Yii expressed his sadness that Local Government and Housing Minister Dr Sim Kui Hian chose to start the new year by playing politics over the health and safety of fellow Sarawakians in choosing to postpone the ban on smoking at eateries that will be enforced nationwide today (Jan 1).
The ban will be enforced under the Control of Tobacco Products Regulations (amendment) 2018 where all eateries nationwide, whether air-conditioned or otherwise will be designated no smoking areas.
“I am all for the autonomy that we have in Sarawak and have even advocated for our local government regulation 1963, and local authority ordinance to be used with regards to the recommendations to provide a guideline on road signs next year to promote the use of Bahasa Malaysia. However, when it comes to policies that are beneficial for the state and also the safety and health of our people, the use of such autonomous power to block it is counterproductive and to a certain extend an abuse of power.
“This smoking ban at eateries will help reduce the adverse impact of secondhand smoke and will help improve the wellbeing of Malaysians as a whole. In Sarawak, based on the National Health Morbidity Survey, there is an increase in the prevalence of smokers from 22.3% in 1996 to 25.4% in 2015. This is much higher than the national prevalence at 22.8%,” he said.
Dr Yii also said it is worrying that the problem of smoking among students in Sarawak is one of the highest in Malaysia at 19.6% compared to the national average of 11.5%. Sixty five percent of these students started smoking as early as 14 years old. In Sarawak, lung cancer is the third highest form of cancer and 85% of such cases is due to smoking.
He added that Federal Ministry of Health has already expressed their intention of imposing the ban since May this year. From the official statement by MoH, they have conducted more than 60 consultative meetings and briefings involving all the respective states on the matter.
“That is why for Dr Sim to bring up the matter now and justifying his attempt to delay the autonomous power we have is unreasonable, detrimental and merely opposing for the sake of opposing. He had more than seven months to discuss with his own relevant authorities and ministries to implement this policy, but yet only chose to have a meeting only on January 9, 2019. This either shows that he is either playing politics in delaying the matter or does not take the matter seriously although it involves public health,” Dr Yii said.
He also urged Dr Sim not to delay adopting policies that are good for the people of Sarawak and not just oppose for the sake of opposing.
“Our autonomy is there to safeguard our interests and not to be used as a show of power against the interest and detriment of the people of Sarawak,” he said.
