Most of you smokers may have forgotten about the smoking ban at eateries which came into force in 2019.
Here's some news for you: It's still in effect!
Photo via Astro AWANI
Almost 3,500 notices were issued nationwide for smoking in eateries so far this year.
Terengganu had the highest number of violations with 652 notices, followed by Pahang, Sarawak, Perak and KL.
"More people are lighting up at eateries now that dine-in is allowed", said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
As such, the government has stepped up enforcement efforts to stamp out smoking at such premises.
This is important as we move into the endemic phase of Covid-19.
Photo via Malay Mail
Citing the World Health Organization’s statement, Khairy says smokers are at a higher risk of experiencing more severe symptoms if infected.
If you’re caught violating the smoking ban, you can be fined not more than RM10,000 or jailed for not more than 2 years.
Restaurant owners, meanwhile, who fail to comply with the rules can also be fined not more than RM3,000 or jailed for not more than 6 months.
That’s a huge amount, so let's follow the rule.
This way everyone will have a good dine-in experience!
By: Roshini Ravindran
