LETTERS: This Chinese New Year (CNY), like many others, I was finally able to meet friends and relatives when I returned to my hometown in Simpang Renggam, Johor.
Last year, we were not able to do this due to the lockdown.
The relaxed standard operating procedures (SOP) this year meant that more reunions and gatherings were taking place, especially in restaurants.
But from my observation, Malaysians are rather complacent when it comes to complying with Covid-19 SOP when dining out.
Many tend to linger longer than necessary at such places and do not wear their face masks properly.
We let our guards down at our own peril, especially with the Omicron variant threatening to push infection rates up exponentially, as experienced in many developed countries.
During CNY, I noticed another set of SOP that Malaysians have disregarded: laws related to smoking in public spaces.
Last I checked, eateries are designated as no-smoking zones.
However, in reality, the ban has been ignored with impunity as smokers puff away in eateries and mamak restaurants.
Not only did smokers show no apprehension about being booked for breaking the law, many have no regard for the health hazards the second-hand smoke can cause on those around them.
To make things worse, many of us non-smokers also hang around eateries for prolonged periods during the CNY period to catch up.
Each year, more than 27,200 deaths in Malaysia are reported due to smoking-related diseases.
Since Covid-19 hit in 2020, some 32,000 deaths have been reported here. At the risk of playing down the severity of the coronavirus, the fatality rate due to Covid-19 has been on the decline.
Meanwhile, smoking-related diseases have been on the rise, even before the pandemic, and will continue to go up unless we do something about it.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin did the right thing by proposing and that sales of cigarettes be banned for those born in 2005 onwards. He wants to create a smoke-free Malaysia.
While I welcome the move, Khairy must also realise the gap between policy intention and implementation realities.
The reality is we can't even effectively implement the no-smoking ban in restaurants. That being so, is it realistic to envision a smoke-free Malaysia?
Perhaps the Health Ministry can start with baby steps first. For starters, ramp up enforcement in eateries and stop pussyfooting for the sake of political expediency.
Another alternative is a phased-out transition through harm-reduction alternatives like heated tobacco products or regulated vape content.
The National Health Service in the United Kingdom recognises the use of e-cigarettes to help smokers kick the habit.
Though they are not harm-free, such products are far less dangerous than conventional cigarettes, including towards second-hand smokers.
While I am appreciative of Khairy wanting to curb smoking to make Malaysians healthier, we have to be realistic.
Actually, we don't have to wait until 2023 for the ban on the sale of cigarettes for those born in 2005 or younger to take effect.
Step up enforcement and consider harm-reduction approaches so that by the next CNY, our reunions can take place in a more conducive surrounding.
LOUIS LAM
Kuala Lumpur
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times