According to a report by Malaysia’s New Straits Times, the second reading of the Malaysian Public Health Tobacco Control Act 2023 (GEG Act), which was originally scheduled for October 10th, has been postponed.
The Malaysian Ministry of Health has announced that the decision to delay the implementation of the GEG Act was made to prioritize other government matters. They further added that the ministry plans to reintroduce the bill in the near future in order to address legal issues regarding the control of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. According to a report by CodeBlue, the Special Committee of the Malaysian Health Parliament (PSSC) has recommended postponing the implementation of the GEG Act and reducing the maximum fine for violators of smoking or e-cigarette laws from 500 Malaysian Ringgit to 250 Malaysian Ringgit. Additionally, they have proposed increasing the penalties for companies involved in illegal activities related to product registration, advertising, promotion, or sponsorship, as well as for offenses related to sales, gifting, retail pricing, packaging and labeling, manufacturers, importers, or distributors, and strengthening enforcement measures during emergencies and critical situations.
