KUALA LUMPUR: The tobacco generational endgame (GEG) law will apply to those born after 2007, and not 2005.
Initially, the GEG, otherwise known as the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill, contained a clause to ban smoking and prohibit the ownership of tobacco and vape products by those born after 2005.
However, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the government decided to push the year limit to 2007 after considering views gathered during stakeholder engagement sessions.
"This allows more time (two years) for community education, a robust implementation plan and to ramp up enforcement.
"GEG is still a go!" he tweeted today.
Khairy said he will also be releasing videos daily for the next one week, citing facts and evidence, to woo public support for the GEG.
"All of us can play a part to get this bill passed.
"If you want your kids and grandchildren to live in a smoke-free environment, speak up about it. Tell your MPs to support the law," he said.
Khairy has been pushing for the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill in line with efforts to make Malaysia a tobacco-free country by 2040.
He said cigarette smoking would cost the government RM8 billion to treat lung cancer, heart problems and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by 2030.
The cabinet gave the green light for the bill on July 14 and it will be tabled and put to a vote in the Dewan Rakyat this week.
If the bill gets passed, Malaysia would become the first country in the world to ban smoking and prohibit the ownership of tobacco and vape products by those born after 2007.
Close to 80 per cent of netizens who participated in a poll by the New Straits Times (NST) on the matter voted in favour of the bill.