KUALA LUMPUR, March 14 — The move to put an end to the habit of smoking and vaping should start with Parliament, Deputy Health Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni said.

He also suggested that all MPs refrain from vaping inside the Parliament building.

"How about pressure from industry players? We need cooperation and support from all quarters.

"If we look at our experience when tabling GEG (generation end-game Bill), there were conflicting views. When industry players come to Parliament to meet MPs, it affects the decision.

"It is my hope that if we really want to stub out smoking and vaping, it should start with Parliament.

"Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker, I would like to suggest that the MPs don’t vape in premises such as the Parliament building. Look for more suitable areas,” Lukanisman told Parliament during Question Time today.

He was responding to a supplementary question from PAS’ Kapar MP Dr Halimah Ali who asked about the government’s steps to tackle smoking and vaping, and its triggers and pull, and if the government has the political will to free itself from the influence of industry players.

When responding to the MP on the question of reducing the addiction of students on cigarettes and vape, Lukanisman said the Health Ministry has managed to reach out to schoolchildren in primary and secondary schools via intervention programmes such as Program Kesihatan Oral Tanpa Amalan Merokok (KOTAK).

"A total of 2,413,761 screenings were conducted on primary school children through KOTAK, whereby from this number, 374 students were found to be smokers and offered intervention.

"For secondary school students, a total of 1,540,035 students were screened, and out of this number, 38,010 were found to be smokers and offered intervention,” he said.

In addition, he said the ministry has also tightened the ban on the sale of smoking products to minors.

Last December, the Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS) had urged the newly appointed Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad to restore vape liquid — containing the addictive substance nicotine — to the Poisons List and for GEG to recommence.

MPS had also proposed that Dzulkefly tackle the issue of nicotine-continuing liquid and gel which had been delisted from the Poisons List early 2023.

Previously, three civil society groups had sued Dzulkefly’s immediate predecessor Dr Zaliha Mustafa over the delisting from the Poisons List and had wanted the court to restore the Health Ministry’s regulation over e-cigarette and vape liquids and gels.