The health ministry will consider providing designated smoking areas outside dining premises, especially for those located in tight spaces, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said today.
He said it was difficult for these types of eateries to adhere to the current rule that people may only smoke three metres outside an eatery.
“The health ministry is considering this. We understand that a three-metre distance from dining premises is almost close to other premises,” he told reporters after a walkabout in the Bukit Bintang entertainment area.
He said countries such as Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong have permitted smoking areas.
“We will seriously consider establishing special areas for smokers in tight spaces like Jalan Alor in Bukit Bintang here. It’s not a backward or regressive step. It’s to ensure that they do not smoke or violate the three-metre ban that is being enforced.”
Source : FMT
The Coverage Malaysia
