Inconsiderate smokers irk visitors at Melaka tourist hotspots

Checks by Bernama at several locations around Melaka over the past two weeks found these irresponsible individuals lighting up at tourist hotspots to the point of causing discomfort to other visitors.

Tourist hotspots such as A Famosa, Dataran 1Malaysia in Klebang, and Kampung Morten as well as the grounds of several museums here, were not spared from these irresponsible individuals.

They were not only smoking along the sidewalk of the restaurants as some of them were actually lighting up in restaurants packed with diners.

The lax in enforcement since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic early last year, also 'encouraged' these irresponsible individuals to flout the ban which was enforced on Jan 1, 2020.

A visitor at the Hang Tuah Centre in Duyong, Norhayati Ishak, 35, admitted that she was quite upset with the behavior of some individuals smoking in the area, especially at the Hang Tuah's Well.

"This is a tourist area but these individuals completely ignored other visitors. Although it was an open area, there were many visitors and we didn't know if anyone was allergic to cigarette smoke. There could be pregnant mothers or children," she told Bernama recently.

A similar view was shared by Qistina Zahari, 23, who traveled to Melaka with her family on a weekend break recently.

She said she felt uncomfortable while walking in Kampung Morten as there were many smokers and even more annoying to see cigarette butts carelessly thrown into the river and in flower pots found along the route.

"It was very irresponsible. Stop smoking in public areas. Hopefully, enforcement can be carried out immediately and strict action is taken," she said.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, in his tweet yesterday, reminded that the ban on smoking in public areas implemented since 2019 is still in force and urged enforcement to be intensified to ensure the community complies with the ban.

Those found flouting the ban can be fined RM250, and if they fail to pay, they can be prosecuted in court with a fine not exceeding RM10,000 or imprisonment for a maximum of two years.

In line with Khairy's tweet, Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (FOMCA) Tobacco Control coordinator Muhamad Sha'ani Abdullah said the government should be strict on these smokers.

"It is time to emphasise the culture of complying with all forms of safety rules in public areas such as in premises selling food.

"Even food handlers at restaurants, night markets, roadside stalls can be prosecuted under the COVID-19 standard operating procedure (SOP) for failing to ensure their customers comply with the rules," he said.