Move to ban smoking in parks

NST: GEORGE TOWN: The Health Ministry is "in the midst of reviewing" its proposal to ban smoking in all entertainment outlets, says Health Ministry parliamentary-secretary Datuk Lee Kah Choon.
He said yesterday the government would be expanding the non-smoking areas to include public parks, food outlets and business premises as part of the smoke-free campaign launched early this year.
The move to extend the ban to parks stemmed from complaints from the public, especially non-governmental organisations.
"People going to the parks for outdoor activities should not be deprived of the chance to breathe fresh air. Smokers who pollute the clean air at parks must be penalised," he said after launching Cancer Survivor’s Day 2007 at Mount Miriam Hospital here.
Lee said studies showed that smoking was the cause of 30 per cent of the cancer cases in the country. "There is, therefore, a need for the government to clamp down on smoking."
His ministry had allocated RM200,000 early this year to reward owners of private buildings who banned smoking on their premises.