KUALA LUMPUR: About 80 per cent of over 25,000 netizens who participated in an online survey by The New Straits Times Press Bhd's (NSTP) publications agreed with the proposal for hotels and laundrettes to be included in the smoke-free zone list.
The survey was carried out on Facebook and Twitter on Tuesday following a news report quoting Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad who said the ministry was looking into expanding smoking ban to more places.
A total of 22,898 netizens cast their votes between 1pm and 6pm through Facebook accounts of Berita Harian (BH); Harian Metro (HM) and New Straits Times (NST), with over 80 per cent or 18,235 of them supported the idea.
The same survey carried out through the publications’ Twitter account garnered 3,019 votes, with 85 per cent or 2,572 netizens agreed for laundrettes and hotels to be made smoke-free zones.
Some of them expressed their views on the matter in the comment section.
Netizen Nor Azlina said smokers should only light at home instead so as not to affect the health of others.
Nabawi Sabri viewed the gazetted smoking ban at premises as a motivation for people to kick the habit.
“To hardcore smokers, make this a new year resolution and motivation to quit smoking. Good luck,” he said.
In a more stern tone, netizen Ruzaiman Wakaf Bharu suggested that the cigarettes were banned from the country, while Arif Akashah reminded Muslims that smoking was forbidden in Islam.
Hasanul Isyraf Abdul Aziz suggested that pictures of the defiant smokers were viralled by the ministry.
“Report and make the faces of the smokers viral through SMS Whatsapp or Telegram,” he said.
Nora Zura proposed public market to be made a smoke-free zone.
“If possible (gazette), fish/public markets (smoke free area) as they are also enclosed areas. There are customers and traders who smoke in public markets,” he said.
Currently, the smoking ban covers nine premises in public areas including eateries which took effect today, with smokers allowed to light up 10 feet (three metres) from the premises.