KUALA LUMPUR: The Cabinet is collectively responsible over the decision made on the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill 2023, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, following a salvo fired by former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin over the proposed law, his brainchild.
“All ministers have the prerogative as members of the Cabinet to present their views on any matter, including the paper on this Bill, but ultimately the Cabinet is collectively responsible for the decision made.
“By the way, who is the ‘gaffer,” if I may ask?” the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Law and Institutional Reforms said in a statement yesterday, in reference to Khairy’s claims that a gaffer – a boss or old man – was behind efforts to scuttle the Bill.
Azalina said the Attorney General is the legal adviser to the Cabinet according to Article 145(2) of the Federal Constitution.
“Hence as the legal adviser to the Cabinet, the Attorney General’s Chambers has presented its legal views on the GEG during the Cabinet meeting,” she added.
The Bill, dubbed as the Generational Endgame (GEG), is being proposed to end generational smoking for those born in 2007 and after.
Over the last two days, Khairy had taken to Instagram to tick off the current Cabinet for stalling the GEG, calling it “a beautiful law” he had drafted.
In multiple posts on his Instagram Stories, he lambasted three ministers, a former minister and a “gaffer” without naming them.
“A fierce critic of GEG is none other than the law minister herself. She doesn’t want it passed. Big opponents of GEG in the Cabinet are law minister, tourism minister and the gaffer,” said Khairy on Instagram.
Stating that “Big Tobacco wins the day,” he said the torch is now in the hands of former health minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad to bring the GEG to fruition, noting that the latter is a member of the current government.
Dr Dzulkefly is well known for his anti-smoking stand, especially during his tenure as health minister under the Pakatan Harapan government previously.
The current Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has been vocal in his opposition to the GEG.
In rejecting the Bill in Parliament last year, he said the fine of RM500 was too steep for those in the lower-income group.
He also argued that there was no data to prove Khairy’s claim that all the diseases mentioned were due to the consumption of tobacco and related products.
In another post, Khairy said a “terpaling child rights advocate” minister who is currently in charge of young people, has been opposing the GEG from before until now.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh responded with, “Fikirkan Sekejap” (think for a moment), taking a dig at Khairy’s popular podcast Keluar Sekejap.
“A law that’s unenforceable and unconstitutional will cost the government millions. Not supporting GEG does not mean I support smoking or vaping,” stated Yeoh.
Khairy also claimed that a senior MP and former minister is more concerned about revenue from duties on cigarettes.
He pointed out that the government only collects RM5bil yearly in revenue from cigarette duties but spends RM6bil yearly to treat diseases related to smoking.
Khairy further predicted that in the next few years, such treatments would balloon to RM8bil.
Later yesterday, the former Umno Youth chief posted a video of him running while explaining why he was so worked up over GEG the day before.
“I drafted a beautiful law but I couldn’t pass it because we ran out of time and Parliament was dissolved. This law was amended – there were some concerns and I took that into consideration ....
“Now, the most important provision – you can’t sell cigarettes to anyone born after 2007 – they are going to take out that provision.”
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa had said the Bill would be tabled for its second reading in Parliament on Oct 10 after receiving the nod from the Cabinet on Oct 4 to proceed with the proposed law.
However, the second reading has since been postponed to make way for government affairs in Parliament.
