IPOH: Perak Health Department has issued 3,334 warning notices to owners of food premises in the state for failing to comply with the smoking ban, which came into effect on Jan 1.
State Health, Consumer Affairs, National Integration and Human Resources Committee chairman A Sivanesan said the warning notices were issued following inspections against 5,462 food premises throughout the state.
He said a total of 432 warnings were also issued to individuals who defied the smoking ban at the prohibited areas during the same period.
Thus far, only warning notices were issued and no punitive action would be taken during the six-month educational enforcement period as decided by the Ministry of Health, he said.
“However, I urge all parties, both the smokers and food premises operators, to comply with the regulations set,” he told a press conference at the Perak Darul Ridzuan Building here yesterday.
Sivanesan also explained the confusion among some smokers over the three-metre rule as stated in the regulation.
“Although the trader places tables outside the premises that may be quite a distance from other tables, it is still considered as no-smoking area as the three-metre distance starts from the last table provided to the customers,” he said. – Bernama
