PUTRAJAYA, Oct 10 — Compliance with the tobacco display ban under the new Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act (Act 852) can be achieved by simply adding a screen to existing display cabinets, according to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He said retail shops can adhere to the regulation with just a few hundred ringgit spent on the screen addition, without needing to build new compartments.
“We’re not asking them to construct new cabinets. All they have to do is add a screen to block visibility to minors,” Dzulkefly told reporters after officiating the World Mental Health Day initiative at the Health Ministry today.
The minister noted that the ministry has provided a six-month educational enforcement period to give stakeholders sufficient time to implement the changes.
The Federation of Sundry Goods Merchants Associations of Malaysia (FSGMAM) recently raised concerns over the ban, set to take full effect by April 1 next year, claiming it was introduced hastily and without financial aid, estimating a nationwide implementation cost of RM300 million.
The Act, gazetted on February 2, came into effect from October 1 with enforcement beginning in phases. It also outlines areas where smoking and vaping are prohibited and includes the public display ban on tobacco products.
