YOURSAY | ‘Do the right thing, Dzulkefly, and enforce the ruling now.’

See you in court, health minister tells smoking ban challengers

Anonymous_7f824cc0: What “constitutional rights” is this Smokers’ Rights Club which is filing the judicial review against the smoking ban talking about?

No one is barring them from smoking, so their individual rights are not affected.

All they and other smokers are being barred from doing is smoking in public spaces, where their right to smoke will infringe upon non-smokers right to not smoke.

Anonymous 2461101488710988: All non-smokers, including myself, welcome the ban on smoking in eateries.

For years, we and our children suffered needlessly as inconsiderate smokers puffed away in such areas, causing great discomfort to us without considering our rights and our health.

On one occasion, I had to tick off an inconsiderate smoker puffing away at a wedding dinner and causing distress to a young baby at the next table.

Do smokers even know the meaning of being considerate to others?

Anonymous_1527654283: I think Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad should implement the fines as soon as possible. Also, it is good that he is taking up the court challenge.

Let the smokers smoke in their own homes. Or anywhere, just not public areas, eateries, cafes and pubs.

Jonah 2: The incidence of cancer in Malaysia is 0.3 percent of all deaths, of which lung cancer is less than 0.1 percent.

However, almost 10 percent of the population, or about 3 million people, have diabetes. And about 48 percent have high cholesterol. So which is more dangerous?

Numbers don’t lie. This smoking ban is to acquire political mileage. Awareness is key, not ban and court cases.

Sugar and high lipids are the real killers, which has now reached endemic proportions. What we need now is healthcare policies that are innovative.

Sugar is eight times more addictive than cocaine. Trans fat found in fast food is the single highest risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which contributes to almost 40 percent of early deaths in the country.

So if you ban smoking, you should also go after sugar and trans fat. There can’t be double standards.

Study how the National Health Service in the United Kingdom works closely with GPs (general practitioners), which is something our Health Ministry will likely never do.

You need knowledge to solve a problem, not political expediency.

Observing the Nation: @Jonah 2, if you eat sugar, you harm yourself. If you smoke, you harm everyone around you. It's not double standards.

0101010101: To those proclaiming that it is their right to smoke, remember that no one is trying to make you smoke less. Just as long as it is not in my child’s face.

Educative approach to smoking ban at eateries for six months

Shibboleth: Dear minister, please define "educative approach."

Does it mean your officers will teach these addicts that smoking is bad for their health or may cause cancer? Or teach them to be considerate to non-smokers?

Please, it has been years since cigarette boxes carried a health warning, and also since many eateries have had a hard time telling customers not to smoke even when smoking had been banned in enclosed areas.

We voted you to enact and enforce regulations that protect the people from carcinogenic smoke.

You should know the psyche of the Malaysian addicts. If there is no enforcement, they will carry on puffing.

Do the right thing, enforce the ruling now.

Anonymous: Dzulkefly says, “I know there are people who are saying 'let's do it (issue fines) now' but at the ministry, we have a standard operating procedure.”

This is the difference between Malaysia and Singapore. I trust after the 15th general election the smoking ban will remain a motto, not a reality.

Ipoh PP: Indeed, why provide alternatives? Rules are made to be carried out. Alternatives will only lead to backtracking.

Fairplayer: The rakyat have been educated enough! I so looked forward to today (Jan 1, 1019) only to be disappointed.

Are smokers' feelings more precious than the health of non-smokers who do not pollute the air we breathe?

Think, minister, think. Justice and common sense must prevail.

Appum: Why is the ministry only now saying there will be six months of "testing" waters? If the ministry had thought of this, it should have been announced earlier.

Waiting for the court decision on the legal action taken by some smokers?

Well, if that suits the Health Ministry, so be it. But those who violate the non-smoking rule shall be still reported to the authorities, and a name list is kept.

If such persons are caught again after the six-month moratorium, then they have no reason to appeal at all. This will deter the recalcitrant delinquent smokers from breaking the law.

Anonymous_b497ffa7: Yes, what utter rubbish. This means the smoking ban will only start in July.

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