PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry has gazetted seven new areas comprising two public recreational parks and five national parks in Johor, which have become places of interest to the public and tourists, as No Smoking Zones starting June 18, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.
They are the Town Park Two and Three recreational parks in Taman Seri Austin, Gunung Ledang National Park (Muar), Endau Rompin National Park (Segamat), Endau Rompin Tambahan National Park (Segamat), Pulau Kukup National Park (Pontian) and Tanjong Piai National Park (Pontian).
"Offenders can be compounded RM250 or fined up to RM10,000 or jailed not more than two years should they be sentenced in court," he told a news conference before chairing a post cabinet meeting here today.
He said the ministry had gazetted 20 categories of public areas so far, consisting of five areas in Melaka, six in Penang and one in Johor as No Smoking Zones under the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004.
Article 8 of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) titled Protection From Secondhand Smoke required party members to implement effective measures to protect the public from secondhand smoke in office buildings, public transportation and public areas, he added.
Malaysia has been a member party of the WHO FCTC since December 15, 2005. - BERNAMA