Malaysia’s U-turn on smoking ban slammed by doctors as ‘worst public health setback’

The Generation Endgame bill initially sought to create a smoke-free Malaysia by banning those born on or after January 1, 2007, from buying tobacco or vapes

The government this week instead tabled a watered-down version of the bill, sparking accusations it had caved into pressure by the tobacco lobby

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The Generation Endgame Bill would have made Malaysia only the second in the Asia-Pacific to drive through a law aimed at preventing future generations from smoking. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 5:00pm, 29 Nov 2023Updated: 5:26pm, 29 Nov 2023

Health professionals decried a decision by Malaysia’s government to drop a generational smoking ban in a tobacco law up for debate from Wednesday, as a former minister accused the country of buckling to pressure from “Big Tobacco” despite the escalating health costs incurred by the nation’s near 5 million smokers.

Malaysia’s government had initially put together a Generation Endgame (GEG) Bill, which would have made it only the second nation in the Asia-Pacific region to drive through a law aimed at preventing future generations from smoking. The first country to follow that track – New Zealand – has however just moved to repeal its law passed last December, fearing a dent in tax intake.

Malaysia’s Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa instead on Tuesday tabled a revised version of the bill, removing provisions which would have made it illegal for individuals born on or after January 1, 2007, to buy and consume tobacco and smoking products such as vaporisers and e-cigarettes.

The move sparked outrage among health professionals, who accused the government of watering down the law under pressure from big tobacco firms and the vape industry.

The decision was “the worst public health setback in Malaysia’s history”, especially since the health ministry is led by a doctor, said NGO Papisma, a non-governmental organisation of medical professionals.

“Papisma urges citizens to voice their dissent against the bill in parliament through social media and communication with their respective MPs,” Papisma president Suhaini Kadiman said in a statement late on Tuesday, adding the generational ban was “critical” to protect the country’s youth from the hazards of tobacco and vapes.

But shares for British American Tobacco (BAT) Malaysia, the only one out of the three major tobacco firms operating in Malaysia listed on the local bourse, rose by as much as 4.8 per cent during trading on Tuesday after the revised tobacco bill was tabled.

Malaysia’s health minister said the GEG provisions were removed as there were legal loopholes that could be challenged in court. Photo: AFP