KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni has revealed that the Generational Endgame (GEG) component in the anti-smoking Bill was eliminated due to influence from the tobacco and vape industry.
The Deputy Health Minister disclosed that industry lobbyists had met with Members of Parliament prior to the debate on the Revised Control of Smoking Products for Public Health 2023 Bill.
“If we look at our experience when we tabled GEG, a conflict of views arose due to industry pressure,” he stated.
“The industry entered Parliament and the industry met with MPs, which influenced the decision,” he added.
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“On pressure from the industry – we need support from all quarters,” he said during the Ministry Question Time in Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (March 14).
He was responding to a supplementary question by Dr Halimah Ali (PN-Kapar) who asked about possible lobbying from the tobacco and vape industry.
Previously on Nov 28 last year, the Health Ministry announced the dropping of the GEG element from the Bill tabled for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat.
The Bill was then passed by Dewan Rakyat after two days of debate on Nov 30, with it later also being passed by Dewan Negara on Dec 14.
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The GEG element in the Bill sought to ban those born in 2007 and onwards from smoking or purchasing smoking products.
Lukanisman also urged MPs to resist being influenced by vape advertisements.
“We should not be easily swayed by vape advertisements as vapes are items that can easily attract the attention of children,” he said.
