The Health Ministry will gazette a ‘no-smoking’ zones at all rest and recreation (R&R) stops along highways by year-end, with the coverage expanding to a radius of three meters around the covered areas of the facility.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, said the prohibited areas include eateries, toilets and covered walkway.

Discussion and agreement with the highway concession has been obtained.

“All R&Rs in the country will be free from smoking. This is because that will be the place where people will eat and if they smoke there, they will not only out risk on themselves but on the people nearby as well,” said Subramaniam.

He added that the ministry would discuss with a number of local authorities (PBT) to implement a smoke-free areas.

According to him, the ministry is planning to gazette Pantai Batu Buruk in Terengganu, Gua Mulu in Sarawak and Kelantan as smoke-free areas.

Dr Subramaniam said that Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) would also gazette its sheltered walkways spanning 23km in the city centre as smoke-free zones.

He told reporters after launching the national-level “International No Tobacco Day” event at a hypermarket in Meru Raya here.

He added that the ministry had set a target to lower the number of smokers in the country by 16% because the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2011 showed that 23.1% or 4.7 million Malaysians were smokers.

The minister warned that those who failed to pay their compounds could be brought to court and fined a maximum of RM10,000 or face up to two years in prison if found guilty.