Malaysia to Submit New Tobacco Bill

On October 16, according to Focusmalaysia, the "2023 Public Health Tobacco Product Control Bill" (GEG Bill) is expected to be submitted to the lower house next week, which may severely disrupt the Malaysian e-cigarette industry dominated by Malays.

The Secretary-General of the Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce (MVCC), Ridhwan Rosli, stated: "If this bill is implemented, it will dismantle the current Malaysian e-cigarette industry that contributes to our economy." Ridhwan previously stated that recent MVCC research shows that the Malaysian e-cigarette industry is primarily controlled by Malays. The study also revealed that by the end of 2022, there were thousands of local Malay entrepreneurs and laborers in Malaysia. Furthermore, he pointed out that under the current circumstances, implementing the GEG Bill could hinder local entrepreneurs' hard work in the e-cigarette industry. He emphasized that the measures taken by the GEG Bill are too hasty, and banning existing products in the market will be difficult to enforce, only leading to new problems. He also warned that if the GEG Bill is implemented, it will gradually stifle the local e-cigarette industry and, on a broader scale, will not only affect the e-cigarette industry but also impact the country's economic situation in terms of taxation and labor, while also affecting related industries. He stressed that now is not the right time to implement such "drastic actions" as the economy is still unstable. He also added that the desire to reduce smoking rates is about to hit a dead end, as even if cigarette prices are very low, they can still be easily purchased. According to the GEG Bill, children born in 2007 and later will be prohibited from smoking, purchasing, or possessing any type of tobacco product, including e-cigarette products, even after turning 18.