Deputy Minister Wong Kah Woh is urging schools to report instances of “energy stick” use among students to the Education Ministry. He mentioned that the ministry has not yet received any complaints about these new vape-like nasal inhalers but will continue to monitor the situation. He emphasized the importance of parents and schools closely observing this trend and reporting any instances of energy stick use to the ministry, assuring that stern action will be taken.
He also encouraged schools and parents to use the Public Complaints Management System (Sispaa) platform to lodge complaints about the use of energy sticks. Earlier this week, it was reported that the Health Ministry plans to take action against the growing trend of “energy sticks” being targeted at children and sold at low prices.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad stated that authorities had become aware of the potential sale of the energy sticks after receiving multiple complaints and alerts through social media. This concern was raised by local health group Public Health Malaysia, voicing concerns over the item being sold in Malaysia and its rising popularity among minors, particularly in a Facebook post on Saturday (Feb 3).
Regarding the BAP programme, Wong mentioned that around RM78.5 million would be disbursed to 523,342 students in 1,192 Johor schools.
