Smoking ban at all Malaysia eateries comes into effect on Jan 1

The smoking ban at all food establishments in Malaysia, including those outdoors, will come into eff…

The smoking ban at all food establishments in Malaysia, including those outdoors, will come into effect at midnight on Tuesday (Jan 1).

This is in line with the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations (Amendments) 2018, to protect the public from exposure to cigarette smoke, said the Ministry of Health's director-general of health Noor Hisham Abdullah.

“The public are urged not to smoke in all eateries, whether air-conditioned or not. This includes inside and outside the buildings where the eateries, restaurants and food courts are.

“The ban also covers food stalls and vehicles which provide tables and chairs for people to eat, as well as restaurants on ships and trains,” he said in a statement on Monday.

Noor Hisham also reminded owners and operators of food premises to display no-smoking signs clearly, and to remove ashtrays.

Anyone found guilty of smoking in banned areas can be fined up to RM10,000 (US$2,450) or jailed up to two years.

Owners of food establishments who fail to display no-smoking signs can be fined up to RM3,000 or jailed up to six months. For providing smoking facilities, they can be fined up to RM5,000 or jailed for up to one year.