GEG exclusion has nothing to do with industry lobbyists - Dr Dzulkefly

KUALA LUMPUR: The exclusion of the generational end game (GEG) provision from the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health 2024 Act had nothing to do with lobbying by tobacco and vape industry players, the Dewan Negara was told today.

Instead, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the exclusion of the provision was done following the Attorney General's Chambers' stance and rebuke regarding a certain constitutional issue.

"We want the GEG, but when it was raised by the AGC, the constitutional issue became big, and that's why the government decided to not include the GEG in the Act.

"And that's it. Nothing to do with lobbyists or any other perceptions out there," he said in reply to Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (MUDA-Muar) who sought an explanation on the matter during Question Time.

To another question from Syed Saddiq about the implementation timeline of the new regulations on the vape industry and products such as nicotine, Dr Dzulkefly said it was hoped to be implemented in June this year.

"The team is working very hard to get it done ahead of the deadline," he said.

Dzulkefly said that the detailed controls covering the registration, sale and packaging of the products have been drafted in the new regulations that are expected to be enforced simultaneously with the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024, which was gazetted last month but is not yet in force.

-- BERNAMA