GEG Element Removed From Anti-Smoking Bill, Khairy Says Fight For Public Health Continues
Khairy said the Generational Endgame (GEG) bill was suspended due to political pressure and not legal issues.
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Former health minister and Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin has made his views known about the dropping of the generational end-game (GEG) element in the anti-smoking Bill.
On his Instagram Story, Khairy “congratulated” Big Tobacco and the vape industry for “winning” this time around and said the fight for public health was far from over.
He said he crafted the GEG bill for public health and it included measures to regulate vape sales. He said he received support from the public health community who wanted vapes to be banned.
Now, that has been dropped. So, vape sale will be regulated but we miss on passing a consequential, landmark legislation for public health.
Former health minister and Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin
Khairy also rubbished the argument used by the government put forward by the Attorney General that said the GEG element was unconstitutional.
He had previously said that the GEG Bill was suspended due to political pressure and not legal issues.
In another IG story, Khairy reiterated his claim that GEG was dropped due to a strong lobby from Big Tobacco.
Don’t even think for a minute that GEG was dropped because of some lame excuse of a legal argument proffered by the Attorney General. Lawyers laugh at that asinine statement.
Khairy Jamaluddin
What would change if the GEG element is removed from the anti-smoking bill?
On Tuesday (28 November), the GEG element was removed from the revised Control of Smoking Products for Public Health 2023 Bill at the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat.
It was the Health Ministry’s third time to legislate the anti-smoking law.
The GEG element sought to ban those born in 2007 and onwards from smoking or purchasing smoking products.
In the new version of the Bill, the sale of tobacco products, smoking substances or substitute tobacco products, or providing any services for smoking to a minor is prohibited.
Clause 17(1) of the Bill prohibits minors from smoking, chewing, or using any tobacco product or smoking any substitute tobacco product.
Minors who buy tobacco products, smoke substances, or substitute tobacco products will be fined not more than RM500 or be ordered to perform community service under the Criminal Procedure Code or the Child Act 2001.
READ MORE: You Can Now Voice Your Opinion About The GEG Bill On MySejahtera
In Clause 13 2(a) of the proposed Bill, the person found to have committed an offence of selling tobacco products, smoking substances, or substitutes to smoking products or providing any services for smoking to a minor will be fined not more than RM20,000 or imprisoned for not more than a year or both.
If the offence is committed the second time, the individual faces a fine of up to RM30,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both.
Corporate bodies committing the same offence will be fined not less than RM20,000 and not more than RM100,000. They will also face imprisonment of up to two years or both.
For repeat offences, the corporate bodies will be fined between RM50,000 and RM300,000 or imprisonment of up to three years or both.
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