'I’m not a mufti to ban cigarettes' - Dr Dzulkefly

KLANG - Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad jokingly said that he is not a mufti (Islamic scholar) to ban cigarettes in the country.

The Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) strategy director said that smokers did not need to worry about ban of cigarette.

"I am only managing so that cigarettes and (cigarette) smoke do not reach the target group who do not smoke," he said.

He said this during his concluding remarks at the 2023 Amanah National Convention which took place at one of the hotels here on Sunday.

The Kuala Selangor Member of Parliament said that in response to the issue raised by the delegates regarding the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health.

The Dewan Rakyat last month approved the dropping of provisions related to the ban on the sale of tobacco products and cigarettes as well as the ban on smoking in the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health.

Based on the previous bill, better known as the Generational Endgame (GEG) policy, which was presented for the first reading on June 12, there were four provisions related to the ban imposed on individuals born on Jan 1, 2007 onwards.

It includes Articles 13, 14, 18 and 19, which were the ban on the sale of tobacco products, smoking materials, smoking tobacco products and smoking tobacco substitute products for people born on Jan 1, 2007 onwards.

Under the new bill presented, under Article 17 (1) the ban on smoking and using tobacco products applies to minors, those under the age of 18.