PPPKAM urges government to obey FCTC on tobacco tax

The Malaysian Public Health Specialists Association (PPPKAM) urged the government to comply with its commitment in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) by increasing the tax on tobacco products every year starting with Budget 2015.

Its president Prof Dr Mohamed Rusli Abdullah in a statement said the move to increase the retail price of cigarettes without increasing the tax for tobacco products was only for the sake of profiting by the industry.

"We are hoping the government will announce a tax hike, although British American Tobacco (BAT) has already announced the increase in the retail price of cigarettes on September 8, and it made a similar move last year.

"PPPKAM welcomes the move to increase the retail price of tobacco products including cigarettes in line with Malaysia's commitment in FCTC, but the increase in prices should be through the increase in tax on tobacco products," he said.

He said the World Health Organisation and World Bank have proposed a periodic increase to ensure that the hike in prices of all tobacco products rise at least five percent, higher than the inflation rate every year.

"Over the past few years, tax on tobacco products has not been raised on grounds that it will result in the increase in retail prices, which would cause a rise in smuggling activities and illicit trade," he said.