Malaysia’s Generational End Game bill is set to be tabled before Parliament, with a few amendments.
Malaysia’s health ministry will table the Control of Smoking Product for Public Health Bill, which includes the Generational End Game (GEG) policy during the ongoing second meeting of the second session of the 15th Parliament.
Dr. Helmy Haja Mydin, special adviser to the health minister, told Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), "The GEG policy is only for the ban on buying and using, as the ban on keeping and possessing cigarettes or vaping products has been dropped (from the bill) on the recommendation of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee. The ban will apply to all, including the younger generations born from 2007 onwards.”
The bill will also control registration, advertising, promotion and sponsorship, packaging, and sales of smoking products.
According to Helmy, the parliamentary select committee agreed to a number of amendments pertaining to the ban on anyone born after 2007. The committee’s recommendations included reducing the fine from MYR5,000 (US$1,087) to MYR500 (US$108.70) to lessen the burden on the GEG group and removing the ban on the possession of smoking products, resolving the issue of body checks on the GEG group by enforcement officers,
““Apart from that, the community service order for the smoking offence committed by the GEG is being introduced and will be enforced when the law is enacted. This order is meant to educate and show that the policy is not purely punitive,” he said.
Helmy also said the bill has a clause stating that a periodic report must be written and presented to Parliament before January 2025 and then every five years subsequently. The report will cover the effectiveness of the ban on the sale of tobacco products, smoking materials, tobacco substitute products or smoking devices, and related matters.