Agong urges support for smoking control bill

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah today said he was proud of the government's efforts to protect and preserve the health of future generations through the tabling of the Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill 2022 in Parliament.

He said the matter was a noble endeavor and that he hoped that all Malaysians would give their support so that the bill could be studied and scrutinised.

"I am so proud that another bill tabled in the Parliament related to the tobacco and cigarette control bill has been decided to be further reviewed," he said when opening the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Complex in Setia Alam today.

On Aug 2, the bill, dubbed as a generational endgame (GEG) policy providing for a ban on individuals born in 2007 and thereafter from smoking, buying or possessing tobacco products or smoking devices, was referred to a parliamentary select committee for further scrutiny.
 
Sultan Abdullah said that young people need to be educated to adopt the best health practices in order to avoid matters that could be detrimental to their health and reduce the government's expenses for hospital care.

He also expressed his gratitude to the health ministry staff whom he said had provided the best service during the country's fight against Covid-19.

On the establishment of NIH Complex, Sultan Abdullah said it was a benchmark for a better approach to health issues to ensure the well-being and health of the people.