October: SEATCA welcomes the new ruling of the  Ministry of Health-Malaysia to ban smoking nationwide in restaurants, coffeeshops and hawker centers including open-air eateries starting 2019. Those caught violating the ruling will be fined up to around US$ 2,300 or will be imprisoned for two years. 

Smoke-free restaurants and eating places provide families and children healthy environments where they are not exposed to the health harms of secondhand tobacco smoke. We urge the government to be strong in the enforcement, monitor compliance and impose penalty strictly. Reference