KUALA LUMPUR: The actions of the Malaysian Ministry of Health (MoH) to raid and seize from the vape industry in the past few days have affected many vape businesses in the Klang Valley, impacting small and medium-sized entrepreneurs, resulting in revenue losses in millions.
This move appears to come on the back of the vape industry disagreeing with the recently presented Bill by the MoH that equates vape to cigarettes as well as the proposed GEG (Generation End Game) policy that will ban the vape industry in the future.
The Bill is currently being refined by the parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC).
Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce (MVCC) secretary general Ridhwan Rosli said the raids and seizures comes across as a move to put pressure on the industry as the industry did not agree with MoH's proposal to equate vape with cigarettes, as well as the proposed GEG policy.
"The industry supports the government in developing regulations for the vape industry and we welcome the move to review and refine the Bill by PSSC.
"Regulations is something that the industry has been looking forward to for years and it just needs to be refined, especially in relations to certain items that are important for the future of the vape industry," he said in a statement today.
However, Ridhwan pointed out that the raids and seizures carried out in the last few days ago has confused the industry and seems to have put pressure on the industry as the industry did not agree with the MoH's proposal to equate vape with cigarettes, as well as the proposed GEG policy.
"We urge that the MoH stop the raids and seizures at this time, while waiting for the Bill to be refined before being tabled again in Parliament," he said.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Vape Industry Advocacy (MVIA) president Rizani Zakaria said that the series of raids carried out by the authorities confused the industry because it was not in line with what the government previously announced, and this action resulted in many suffering losses.
According to him, the health minister has expressed the intention of the MoH to enact a new law to control the use of vaping.
"The Bill is currently delayed because it needs to be refined and discussed again as announced by the health minister.
"So, do not raid and seize from the vape industry to the point that vape entrepreneurs become victims and have to bear the loss," he said.
Rizani said a raid on an industry that is willing to be regulated only affects the industry.
"The MoH should issue regulatory guidelines while waiting for the Bill to be re-introduced.
"This will allow the industry to guidelines on regulations as well as allow the industry to be prepared when the legislative process is implemented," he said.