SANDAKAN: The Sandakan District Health Office (PKK) inspected a business premises on 2 July and issued a compound under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024.
The compound followed the premises’ failure to display the mandatory no‑smoking sign required by the Act.
State MCA treasurer Datuk Chin Kim Hiung has urged the Health Department to adopt a more customer‑friendly approach to enforcement.
He suggested that for first‑time offences—where a premises is found without the no‑smoking sign during an initial inspection—authorities should issue a warning rather than immediately serving a compound.
“I urge the Health Department to adopt a customer‑friendly approach. If a premises is found without the sign during the first inspection, issue a warning; only if they refuse to comply should a compound be issued,” he said.
Datuk Chin added that some traders remain unsure whether their premises are required to display the no‑smoking sign. He appealed to authorities to take this lack of awareness into account, particularly for first‑time offences.
“We understand the purpose of this Act is to protect public health, but we also need to give traders leeway to understand and comply with the regulations,” he said.
He also noted that a RM250 compound can be significant for businesses, especially during a slow economy.-pr/BNN
