According to NST recent report, the Malaysian Health Minister stated that the Health Ministry is prepared to reconsider the possibility of implementing a nationwide ban on e-cigarettes if the situation warrants it.
The Health Minister of the country, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, stated that the current priority is to regulate and control the use of e-cigarettes through strict measures, including mandatory product registration. This requirement has led to 80% of e-cigarette products being removed from the market.
The Minister pointed out that although there seems to be a lack of "political will" to implement a comprehensive ban like neighboring countries have done on this issue, he believes that it will be addressed based on the country's specific circumstances. If necessary, the Ministry of Health will re-examine the issue, as suggested by Afiq Mohd Nor, the chairman of the Ikram Health Association in Malaysia, and a comprehensive ban may be implemented.
Zulkefli emphasized that he currently needs to convince civil society groups to trust existing regulations. The Prime Minister's Senior Political Secretary, Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin, stated that Malaysia missed the opportunity to introduce similar restrictions as Singapore, Thailand, and Brunei, and as early as 2015, the Health Minister proposed a plan for a total ban, all of which failed. However, he pointed out that with the implementation of the Tobacco Control Act, the government will continue to focus on strict enforcement of regulations.
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