Control of Smoking Product for Public Health Bill: For second reading in Parliament this Tuesday - Dr Zaliha

KUALA LUMPUR - The Control of Smoking Product for Public Heath Bill 2023 will be tabled for the second reading in Parliament this Tuesday (Oct 10), said Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa.

She said this followed a decision made by the Cabinet yesterday.

"The tabling for the second reading of the bill is a form of commitment by the Health Ministry (MOH) and the Malaysia Madani government in ensuring the health and safety of Malaysians are protected from the dangers of smoking products," she said in a statement today.

She said the bill was tabled for the first reading last June 12 and was referred to the Special Select Committee (JKPK) on Health and an assessment had been made by the committee to strengthen the bill so that it could be discussed, scrutinised and supported by all parties.

According to her, the select committee has held a series of meetings and engagement sessions with all stakeholders, including the ministry, to improve the bill.

Following the meetings and engagement sessions, she said, several recommendations were submitted by the select committee and were accepted by the ministry.

Meanwhile, when met by reporters after launching the Twin Towers Mobile Clinic at the Prince Court Medical Centre here, Dr Zaliha said that a Cabinet note for the cabinet members to accept the motion on the Generational End Game (GEG) through the Smoking Product Control Bill for Public Health 2023 by the select committee was submitted to Cabinet members at the Cabinet meeting yesterday.

Regarding the Twin Towers Mobile Clinic, she said it was an initiative to bring health services closer to the community.

In her speech at the event, she said the ministry is committed to enhance the health and safety of the industrial workforce by ensuring that every worker, regardless of their occupation, enjoys optimal health and well-being.

"We (Health Ministry) remain dedicated to continuously enhancing the health of our industrial workers by developing and implementing policies that foster a safer and healthier work environment,” she added.

Twin Towers Medical Centre, in a statement distributed at the event, said the Twin Towers Mobile Clinic aims to bridge the accessibility gap in on-site healthcare services, providing comprehensive solutions to assist companies in promptly addressing health-related concerns.

It said the mobile clinic will be managed by a core team consisting of an occupational health doctor, a nursing team, a radiographer and an administrative assistant and equipped with an X-ray unit, a medical examination bed and a dedicated area for doctor consultation and audiometry testing.

A wide range of services will be offered, including pre-employment checks, medical surveillance, corporate or preventive health screening, return-to-work assessment and annual audiometry test.

For a start, the mobile clinic will be available for on-site healthcare services throughout the Klang Valley, Sepang, Shah Alam and Klang. - BERNAMA