KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 — Anti-tobacco groups complained today that some retailers have yet to comply with the tobacco and vape retail display ban (RDB) set for full enforcement on October 1.
The Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control (MCTC) expressed concern with further delay of enforcement after the ban under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852) came into effect last April 1, noting that there are more than 51,000 retailers nationwide.
“There are concerns that there are quite a significant number of the 51,000 retailers who have still not managed to complete building and installing their enclosed cabinets,” MCTC said in a statement.
“To refresh public opinion on this, it needs to be reminded that in March, the Ministry of Health Malaysia provided clear guidance that retailers needed to have an enclosed cabinet for their products to be in compliance with the RDB, with full compliance required by October 1.
“We are now hearing from the ground that some of those yet to comply in time are already rallying political support – through complaints such as the narrative that this is harming small businesses and similar grouses, which have always made the rounds when any enforcement of any tobacco control regulation comes up.”
CodeBlue’s recent observations on the ground found that some convenience stores only partially placed some tobacco products in an enclosed cabinet, leaving other cigarette products displayed. Vape products remained openly displayed in a glass case.
MCTC told the Ministry of Health (MOH) not to provide any exceptions to RDB compliance from October 1.
“For retailers who have not yet been able to complete installing their closed cabinets, the Ministry of Health should provide guidance that a simple cloth or canvas cover should suffice at this moment – if they have clear timelines on when their cabinets are being installed.”
