KUANTAN: The Pahang State Health Department should report to the police if any of its health inspectors are threatened or physically assaulted when conducting enforcement operations on smoking ban at food premises.
State Police Chief Datuk Abdul Jalil Hassan said police had so far not received any report of officers being prevented from carrying out their enforcement duties.
“If smokers utter any rude or obscene words that is considered hindering the authorities from doing their job, they will be investigated once an official report is lodged.
"We will always cooperate if needed," he told reporters at a ceremony to honour the 2019 retirees of Pahang police contingent.
Abdul Jalil was commenting on a report that a health inspector in the state was obstructed from carrying out his enforcement duties by restaurant patrons recently.
In the incident in Balok, the officer was rudely told to stop issuing summonses and asked to leave the premises.
Abdul Jalil said it was uncertain if the inspector had lodged a report with his department, as there was no police record of the incident.
He also reminded the public not to act aggressively or stop the authorities from discharging their public functions as they could be investigated under Section 186 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to two years, or a fine of up to RM10,000, or both, if convicted.