GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) has urged the government to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) regarding the recent revelation that tobacco and vape industry players had lobbied Members of Parliament (MP) in the Parliament House.
This is seen as tarnishing its sanctity as a place where laws are enacted in the national interest.
CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader said the tobacco and vape industry had clearly violated the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC).
Article 5.3 states explicitly:"In setting and implementing their public health policies with respect to tobacco control, Parties shall act to protect these policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry in accordance with national law."
"We want to know why Malaysian policymakers allow the industry to influence the outcome of the proposed Generational End Game (GEG) Bill.
"Malaysia ratified the WHO FCTC in 2005, close to two decades ago, and yet this can happen in the very sanctum where laws are passed.
"It is an absolute shame and a subversion of the legislative process.
This should not be in any way tolerated," he said today.
Mohideen said CAP is grateful that Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni admitted that the tobacco and vape industry players had met with MPs in the parliament itself to lobby for the exclusion of GEG.
He said Lukanisman had finally confirmed this incident that had been in the grapevine since October 2023.
"These lobbyists are like drug merchants (by the way, nicotine is also highly addictive) lobbying MPs to legalise something that will eventually destroy the youth and the nation.
"Unfortunately, there are some policy makers who are complicit in this grand scheme of things, excluding the GEG to serve the agenda of the lobbyists who want to continue addicting Malaysians for many generations to come so that they can profit from it.
"In view of the current developments, we reiterate our call for the government to set up a RCI on this matter of national importance.
"We want to know the extent of 'infiltration' and 'influence' of the lobbyists on our MPs. We also want to know who is behind the sabotage of GEG," he added.
Mohideen said unless this corruption of the Parliamentary process is prevented, it would open the door for external forces, including foreign governments, to influence the government to serve their agenda.
He also called on the Parliament to amend the Control of Smoking Product for Public Health 2023 Act to reinstate the GEG components without any delay.
It was reported that pressure and lobbying from the tobacco and vape industry had influenced a "decision" on the anti-smoking bill, which included the GEG provision.
Lukanisman said there were conflicting views on the components of the GEG, which was removed from the anti-smoking bill last year.
