KUALA LUMPUR: Members of Parliament (MP) have accused the Health Ministry of giving into big tobacco for removing the generational endgame (GEG) clause in the latest version of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill 2023.
Hassan Abdul Karim (Pakatan Harapan-Pasir Gudang) said removing the provision to ban smoking for those born Jan 1, 2007 onwards, was "anti-climax".
"I feel that we have given into big tobacco. In the start of your speech (Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa), you said many have died, and the government spends billions to treat people (from illnesses caused by smoking).
"We as politicians want to save the future generations. Even if there are people who don't agree (with GEG), never mind, we'll just (debate).
"But we've dropped this provision voluntarily," he said in his debate on the bill in Dewan Rakyat here, today.
Hassan said it was not the Attorney-General that made the law, but it was the MPs who were responsible for it, adding that the ministry should have given the 222 MPs to deliberate over the provision.
He added that the only people who could interpret the law were judges, and not the A-G nor lawmakers.
"The courts will decide. The A-G is not a gatekeeper. If not, we don't need to have a Parliament, let the A-G and the cabinet make the law.
"Allow the 222 MPs to discuss, it can be that the GEG is rejected but that's okay. That's democracy. (In this case) we have not debated on it yet you've removed the clause… we've lost to big tobacco. I'm very sad."
Meanwhile, Langkawi MP Datuk Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah echoed Hassan, adding that he prepared his speech thinking that the GEG would be included.
"I support Pasir Gudang. What else do we debate on if GEG is dropped?
"I think this is due to pressure from tobacco companies," he added.
The Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill 2023 was tabled for its first reading yesterday.
The third and latest version of the bill did not include any provision banning those born Jan 1, 2007 onwards from smoking any tobacco or substitute tobacco products.
The ministry had referred the second version of the bill to the Parliamentary Special Select Committee after it was tabled for its first reading earlier this year.
However, Dr Zaliha had retracted its second reading, which was listed in the Orders Of The Day and Motions in Parliament.
