Published: Friday October 30, 2009 MYT 3:29:00 PM
CAP wants higher price for ciggies, RM30 for pack of 20
By ANDREA FILMER
GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has lauded the Government’s move to impose a minimum price on cigarettes but hopes it would be higher -- about RM30 per pack -- to seriously deter people from smoking.
CAP president S.M. Mohamed Idris said a proposed price of RM6.20 for a pack of 20 cigarettes was “disappointingly low” and the Government needed to severely stem the sale of cheaper brands in the market for the move to have any effect.
“While CAP lauds the move mooted by Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai to set a minimum price for cigarettes effective from Jan 1 2010, it is disappointing to note that the price fixed is so low that it would be a futile move,” Mohamed Idris said in a press conference on Friday.
Liow had announced on Wednesday that a minimum price for packs of cigarettes would be implemented from next year in an effort to check the availability of cheaper cigarettes in the market.
Mohamed Idris suggested that a pack of 20 should be priced closer to RM30 to make an impact.
“The price of premier brand cigarettes here are significantly cheaper than those in other countries.
“For example, premier packs of 20s in Singapore are priced between RM27 to RM80 (S$11 to S$32.80),” he said.
Mohamed Idris said premium cigarettes sold in Malaysia for about RM9.30 per pack of 20 while cheaper brands were widely available from RM2.20 to RM2.50.
“In a recent survey carried out by CAP, we found that the sale of so-called ‘value brand’ cigarettes, which are actually cheap cigarette brands, have increased.
“Various brands, some of which are sold duty free in Langkawi, are easily available in places that sell cigarettes and most of these do not even carry a picture warning (of the effects of smoking) on the box,” he added.
Mohamed Idris also called for a quick halt of the sale of packs containing fewer than 20 cigarettes, as well as the sale of loose cigarettes.
“To better enforce this, a licensing system that limits the number and location of outlets allowed to sell tobacco products should be introduced, with licences that are subjected to yearly renewal.
“It is difficult to ban cigarettes altogether, but serious deterrents need to be introduced to stop people from getting cigarettes so easily,” he said, renewing CAP’s call to raise the minimum legal age of purchase of tobacco products from 18 to 21 to match the legal voting age.
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