Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, most health-related laws were routinely passed by parliament without much fuss or debate. This was because health was seen as non-political and politicians generally trusted the health ministry technocrats.
When a pandemic strikes, elected representatives across political parties should ensure that proposed health laws are constitutive, rather than blindly accepting advice from technocrats who may not necessarily be aware of the realities on the ground. For the first time, we recognized the need to assess the impact on
At PKR’s event in Ampang last Friday, the party showed a powerful election campaign video (see from 1:14:09) criticizing Covid-19 management. parliament. Malaysia’s Covid-19 death rate is the highest per capita in Asia.
Last December, then-Minister of Health, Khairy Jamaluddin, pushed for changes to the Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control Act of 1988 (Law 342). Country. Then-Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yacoub later scrapped the Act 342 amendments in March.
So what does infectious disease have to do with tobacco control?
Malaysians are generally at odds over civil liberties such as freedom of speech, often seen as ‘political’ by some who make controversial comments, but the management of the pandemic is apolitical” or seem to have caused nonpartisanship. Opposition to public health measures beyond infectious disease outbreaks.
Certain proponents believe health should be “apolitical,” but bipartisan opposition to Kyrie’s proposed Generation Endgame (GEG), even if politics is simply the allocation of resources effectively killed recent efforts to pass tobacco control. 2022 Products and Tobacco Bill.
Kylie and anti-tobacco activists mistakenly believed that no one would oppose a move to ban the sale and use of tobacco and vape products to the generation born after 2007.
But the disastrous downfall of the Act 342 Amendment bill may have caused deep reservations among members of the 14th Congress about approving what would be seen as a further intrusion into private life.
When Kylie was due to put forward an amended tobacco bill on October 6 but did not put it to the table, the Ismail Sabri government and possibly Umno or Barisan Nacional (BN) supporters pushed the government bill forward. It was clear that he did not support it. openly dissent.
Pakatan Harapan (PH) and other opposition lawmakers have previously discussed how the bill’s proposed broad enforcement powers, constitutional issues, violations of individual liberties, economic implications, and intergenerational tobacco bans Concerned about whether it worked, the responsibility was: Ismail Sabri’s government supports and passes the tobacco bill.
PH Youth announced a number of health reform proposals in its 15th general election manifesto yesterday, including the establishment of a Health Services Commission, but left out the GEG and tobacco control.
Tobacco and e-cigarette GEGs may not even appear in the BN or Perikatan Nasional election manifestos.
Some politicians, like incumbent Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Phong Hin, are already using the proposed age-specific smoking ban as a lunatic in the run-up to national elections. He cites his GEG as a reason people should vote for his GE15. Let those you don’t trust decide your destiny. ”
As a minister and member of parliament, Kylie has provided public and political support for radical proposals to ban smoking for future generations in a country where nearly half of adult men over the age of 20 smoke. I had a responsibility to get
However, no town hall meetings were held with the general public, including youth and teens born in 2007 who could not vote in GE15. Kylie also did not share the draft tobacco bill with the 14th Congress’ Health, Science and Innovation Congress’ Special Choices Committee before formally submitting it to Dewan Rakyat.
While most of the blame may fall on Khairy’s shoulders, the GEG’s poor communication was also blamed on raspy anti-tobacco activists and medical practitioners. Instead of addressing genuine concerns that privacy and civil liberties could be eroded, they accused all critics of being funded by Big Tobacco.
Hubris killed GEG.
New Zealand could propose an intergenerational smoking ban as smoking prevalence is only 10.9%, almost half of Malaysia’s 21.3%. Still, New Zealand’s proposed ban is aimed only at retailers, not smokers.
Kylie’s approach to tobacco control can be perceived as dogmatic, punitive, and amoral. GEG has attempted a shortcut to reduce smoking rates in Malaysia to 5% by 2040 (10 years behind the 2030 global target).
Whoever makes up the government of the day will not touch the poison cup of a tobacco bill during their next term, or even the next two.
Worse, Khairy’s legislative failure to pass the politically controversial Tobacco Bill and Act 342 (Amendment) Bill could have ramifications for tobacco control as a whole.
The fatal blow is perceived to affect people’s personal lives. Future opposition to health policies and laws is likely to be nonpartisan in nature, leading to painful but important health care reforms. making it much more difficult, or even impossible, to undertake
This is the unfortunate legacy Khairy left for GEG.
Boo Su-Lyn is Editor in Chief of CodeBlue. She is a libertarian, or classic liberal, and believes in minimal state intervention in economic and socio-political affairs.
