PETALING JAYA: The relevant authorities should ensure better enforcement of laws to weed out the illegal cigarette trade in the country.
PKR central leadership council member Datuk Ramanan Ramakrishnan said that while the proposed Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill was a move in the right direction, efforts must be intensified to ensure this does not create a demand for illegal tobacco products.
"Though the illicit cigarette prevalence here dropped by 6.5 per cent from 63.8 per cent in 2020, it is still high and according to reports, Malaysia remains the number one country for illegal cigarettes.
"The generational end game is very encouraging and we all want it to be a success, but serious actions must be taken to address the other concerns.
"In fact, the Confederation of Malaysian Tobacco Manufacturers (CMTM) had also expressed concern that smuggling syndicates were employing new methods to bring illicit cigarettes into Malaysia," he said in a statement.
Apart from prohibiting those born after January 1, 2005, from buying cigarettes, tobacco, and vape, he said authorities should also enhance awareness campaigns and programmes to educate this group on the overall dangers of smoking.
"We do not want these youth to be seeking alternatives just because they are unable to purchase cigarettes and other tobacco products.
"What we need to also do is instil in their minds that any form of addiction is bad because as long as there is a craving, people will find ways to seek alternatives," said Ramanan, who is also PKR's deputy strategic director.
In every budget, he said the government has tried its best to curb smoking among Malaysians by increasing the prices of cigarettes and tobacco products, but despite this, smokers managed to find cheaper substitutes, mainly illegal cigarettes.
According to the Illegal Tobacco Trade 2021 Malaysia report, Malaysian authorities seized a total of 40 million sticks of illegal cigarettes in 2020, whereas a total of 84 million sticks were seized from anti-smuggling operations in coastal areas in the first quarter of 2021 alone.
"While we strongly welcome all efforts by our Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin for a generational end game to smoking, there are still other measures that must be taken to ensure its overall success.
"Achieving a tobacco-free society is not the responsibility of the Health Ministry alone and involves proactive efforts from all quarters concerned," he added.
