Sabah to review smoking ban first

Jason Santos Jason Santos Updated 7 years ago · Published on 24 Dec 2018 1:20PM · 1 Comments

From January 1, all eateries in the peninsula must follow the law which bans smoking in public spaces. – AFP pic, December 24, 2018.

SABAH will review first the federal smoking ban, which comes into effect on January 1, before deciding to whether to adopt the new law or not. 

Local Government and Housing Minister Jaujan Sambokong said he will bring the matter to the state cabinet first. 

“The decision (to adopt a smoking ban) must be collective. It is not just a national issue but also a local one. 

“Sabah has its own local ordinance and, therefore, needs the collective voice of the state cabinet and advice from the state attorney-general.”

The state’s stand is similar to Sarawak’s, which said yesterday the two states need not follow the federal law. 

The smoking ban applies to all eateries, air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned, including restaurants, coffee shops, open-air hawker centres and street stalls from January 1.

State Health and People Wellbeing Minister Stephen Wong, meanwhile, said there is no need for Sabah to amend the local government by-law as the federal law covers the whole country. 

“Health comes under the federal constitution and, therefore, all laws under the Health Ministry are applicable throughout the country, including Sabah.” – December 24, 2018.

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Comments

  • What are you talking about, Mr Local Government Minister? What else can be better than the health and well-being of the people..
    Of course if your are selfish, you need advertisement revenue to achieve your own KPI, and at the expense of peoples health, you would probably NOT adopt the Federal Ban on smoking at all restaurants..
    Also, cigarette companies would go flocking to Sabah with all sorts of gimmicks to trade-off extended sales of cigarettes to the people of Sabah!
    Good for you, Mr Selfish!

    Posted 7 years ago by TTs Take · Reply