The next time you’re in Penang, you might wanna take note of where you’re smoking.
Penang will be enforcing a smoking ban on 19 public and national parks, including Taman Negara in Teluk Bahang, by the end of this year or the beginning of next. Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said that the ban would be imposed on those who smoke cigarettes, vapes, or any kind of products which contains nicotine.
State Non-Communicable Disease Control senior principal assistant director Dr Azizah Ab Manan said that personnel from the Health Department will be enforcing the ban.
He continued:
“Adults above 18 will have to pay a fine of RM250 to RM5,000 if found smoking in the no-smoking zones. Failure to pay the fine will result in a court penalty of a maximum fine of RM10,000 or 2 years’ imprisonment.”
This is not the first time that the state government has imposed such a regulation. In 2015, a smoking ban was enforced in the Unesco heritage zone of the city. Smokers were only allowed to smoke in several designated areas, and if they went against the regulation, a hefty fine between RM5,000 and RM10,000 were imposed on them.
Source: The Star Online.
